The Art of Living

The Battle Has Begun

by Dana Raye Barnaby

A few weeks ago, I wrote an essay titled “Are We Living Our Best Lives?” It was, in many ways, a eulogy — written in the wake of the sudden passing of a dear friend. I posted it quietly, not expecting or needing much response. I don’t tend to engage on social media. In fact, I come from the old-school adage: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

That’s the lens I bring to social media: a space that too often rewards cynicism and cruelty. So I’ve chosen silence over snark. That is, until recently, when a trusted friend and “industry coach” vehemently insisted I start engaging more. “Be more social,” she said.

So, I did. I stepped in.

And here we are.

A recent LinkedIn post caught my attention last week claiming that AI would soon make PIXAR irrelevant. I love PIXAR. Growing up, I couldn’t wait for the next thrill ride through a complex visual world, filled with incredible stories and dynamic characters. Being one of their biggest fans, I was completely aghast that anyone with a computer and a keen sense of prompt writing could even fathom to compete with my cinematic heroes.

Yes, this image was generated by AI - to show you how easy it is to steal PIXAR's likeness.

Yes, we’ve all heard versions of this before — how AI will replace the film industry, end traditional storytelling, blah blah blah. But this one struck a nerve. It was accompanied by visually striking AI-generated images and voice-over that, frankly (in my professional opinion), lacked any emotional weight. So I responded.

I explained that PIXAR isn’t just pictures — it’s process. It’s years of world-building, collaboration, voice casting, rewrites, audience testing, and then more rewriting until the story sings. Every film is a symphony built by a community of artists, animators, and storytellers. It’s not just output and prompts — it’s living, breathing art derived from grit, sweat, multiple revisions, and most of all heart.

AI, on the other hand, mashes up decades of stolen creative material into something shiny and hollow. The author of the post didn’t see it that way. “My images are just as complex,” he replied. “AI understands story.”

Dios mío.

Your image might look complex because it’s been lifted from a thousand works of copyrighted human effort. The debate quickly spiraled — touching on intellectual property theft, Midjourney’s legal battles, Disney and Sony’s looming lawsuits, and the murky waters of authorship in a world run by prompts. At one point, I asked him: What happens when someone else uses similar prompts, generating work almost identical to yours? Will you cry copyright infringement? Who will he sue - Google? Meta?

Good luck.

Mere moments ago, I saw yet another posting about AI and in particular the promotion of LTX Studio.  The AI prompter wrote, “I always wanted to be a filmmaker, but couldn’t decide which creative position to take on as a career. Now, I don’t have to decide because I can be them all — Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Editor.”

WOW, that was easy!

If I could turn in my three decades of real world experience in exchange for prompt writing and AI manipulation, and be a real cinematographer and director without any actual knowledge of how camera, lighting, blocking, actors, and crews work… The world would be my oyster. What an incredible filmmaker I would be.

Imagine the gall of these individuals to equate themselves to seasoned professionals who studied, practiced and honed their skills over decades to create the art that AI now steals…  Where do they get off? Do they actually hear themselves?

I liken AI adapters to your local wedding DJ. A fine spinner and mixer of two well-established HIT songs from the '80s and '90s. Sting, Elton, Bruce, Cher, Madonna... last name made redundant by their musical genius. Now, take away these vinyl LP's and what exactly does a DJ have left?

In a word - Nothing.

No ability to create music. No aptitude to build a simple chord structure, followed by a soaring bridge or a raging guitar riff. And likely no ambition to spend a lifetime becoming an overnight success.

AI prompters are exactly that. Take away their access to stolen copyrighted IP and let's see them create, direct, shoot, write something - anything! Use their own innovation, instinct and imagination to delve into the world of actual artistry.

Some people are calling AI the "Great Leveler". A tool providing the masses with technological advances that level the artist playing field. As the above, aspiring filmmaker said, "Now, I don't have to decide...". Nope, indeed.

You're all now experts. I congratulate you all. Well Done!

Here’s the truth: humans are starting to push back. YouTube is cracking down on AI-generated “slop.” Spotify is removing fake artists and AI impersonations of dead musicians - thanks, Ted Gioia. Rick Beato created his own AI singer and released “the worst song on the internet”— just to prove how soulless the result can be.

A cultural reckoning is coming — and human's are winning!

This was never going to be a quiet debate. It’s a cultural reckoning. The billionaires and platform owners expected us to roll over and call this inevitable. But we haven’t. We’re fighting back. And we’re finding unexpected allies in musicians, writers, actors, animators—and maybe even you.

So yes, I’ve started speaking up again. Engaging. Questioning. Pushing back.

Not to be social — as I still deplore the medium — but to be human.

Because at the end of the day, The Art of Living means choosing truth over trends, soul over software, and standing up for the creative spirit that makes us… us.

Thank you for taking the time to join me on this journey of reflection and storytelling. If these words have resonated, you might enjoy my second series of essays called, The Vanishing Gentleman.

Subscribe today to continue our conversation (that's all - nothing more). Together, we can explore the timeless art of living thoughtfully and graciously. Your support means the world to me.

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