The arrival of AI has reshaped what it means to make art. In photography, this shift has left many questioning what separates human creativity from machine generation and whether that distinction still matters.
Coming to you from Adrian Vila of aows, this thoughtful video explores how AI fits into the artistic process and why it doesn’t have to replace human expression. Vila argues that art has always been about emotion: what you feel when you see it and what the story behind it tells you. AI can mimic those emotions, sure, but he asks a pointed question: how do you feel when the image that moved you wasn’t made by another person, but by a machine? The answer isn’t as simple as rejecting AI outright. Instead, Vila reminds you that what gives art its weight is often the story of its creation, the experience that shaped it, and the effort it took to bring it to life.
Vila draws a sharp contrast between an image made through lived experience and one generated through prompts. He shares his own story of driving rough mountain roads, hiking for miles, sleeping in the cold, and capturing a single photograph at the right moment. That photograph means something because of what went into it. Replace that with a few hours of typing prompts into an AI image generator, and the same picture loses its gravity. The struggle matters because it mirrors the human journey itself: the effort, the uncertainty, the growth. Without that, the work becomes hollow, even if it’s technically flawless.
He ties this idea to why film photography has seen a quiet comeback. Shooting on film is slower, more limited, and more expensive, yet those constraints make every shot feel intentional. Waiting to see your results builds anticipation and care. Vila doesn’t claim that film images are automatically better than digital ones; instead, he suggests that the story behind the process makes them resonate differently. When you know someone worked harder to get a shot, it adds value. Not measurable value, but emotional value, the kind that draws you in and makes you stay a moment longer.
Later in the video, Vila draws a line between using AI as a tool and letting it replace the human role entirely. He sees no issue with using AI for small parts of the creative process as long as you’re still the one making the real decisions. The key, he says, is authorship. When you’re the one guiding every meaningful choice, the art remains yours. That’s what keeps it human.
He encourages artists to make their process visible. Show your audience how you work, what you go through, and why you make the choices you do. Whether through a YouTube channel, a blog, or face-to-face, sharing the process builds connection. That’s something AI can’t replicate: the personal link between creator and viewer, the sense that behind every image is a person with intent, patience, and emotion. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Vila.