Indian temples are known to instigate the best of architecture. It carries stories of generations and is a fascination for many. So, when AI predictions, such as the Last selfie on earth and the AI project series 'As if Nothing has Happened', are becoming popular, Indian AI artist Riya Srivastava predicted how ancient India might look. 

Her awe for the Indian temples inspired Riya to put together the concept of 'Sone Ki Chidiya' (The Golden Bird). Riya's AI-generated images took social media by storm, and praise was showered from followers worldwide. 

It has been only two months since she shifted from traditional art and paintings to AI art. "My first attempt with AI went viral. I take it as a sign that I should continue working on it". Said Riya in a conversation with INDIAai. 

Image: Riya's AI generated art

Encounter with AI 

After her graduation, Riya commenced working as a product designer. Her interest and expertise in traditional art gradually shifted to digital art. Later, she decided to pursue AI art while it was gaining wide momentum on LinkedIn. She sought the help of Midjourney to develop the artwork. 

"It is like going down a rabbit hole. We experiment with different forms, changes, wordings etc., to see the kind of images that Midjourney generates", says Riya.  

Riya opines that Midjourney is a user-friendly website. Creative adjectives can produce imaginative Midjourney results. "A detailed guide on how to use it is published on the Midjourney website. It only took me half an hour to understand it", she added. 

Apart from Midjourney, there are websites such as Stable Diffusion, NightCafe Creator and many more that generate images with the help of AI.  

Image: AI Artist Riya Srivastava

Is it real? 

AI-generated artworks are exciting and engaging. Artistic thinking of the creators leads to the birth of images never thought of. However, one question prevails in all our hearts- are these images authentic? 

Riya has an answer to this- These images are a mere portrayal of the artist's vision. There is little chance that AI-generated images are historically accurate.  

"These are just for fun. These images are nice to look at. It does not have to be real". Says Riya.

Influence of AI 

Riya has a clear stand regarding the prevailing disputes of copyright claims over AI artworks. In her opinion, AI cannot generate results without human intervention.  

"AI might not have come up with a concept of Ancient India. Similarly, in every AI-enhanced project, a human hand is inevitable". She speaks.  

Image: Riya's AI-generated art

Vision for change 

Riya has a unique vision- to change people's lives through design. She believes that working in product design fulfils her dream of influencing the lives around her.  

"While scrolling through social media, if you come across the images I generated, I want you to take 10 seconds to look at it", says Riya. "I am sure that you will relate to it. Because, at some point, we were all curious about ancient India". 

Using AI, Riya looks forward to exploring ancient India and Indian culture. She is set to release her next set of AI-generated art based on Navratri in the forthcoming days. 

Image: Riya's AI-generated art