Setting aside the usual arguments on the anti- and pro-AI art debate and the nature of creativity itself, perhaps the negative reaction that the Redditor encountered is part of a sea change in opinion among many people that think corporate AI platforms are exploitive and extractive in nature because their datasets rely on copyrighted material without the original artists’ permission. And that’s without getting into AI’s negative drag on the environment.
I would argue that Rothko’s works are anything but mundane considering the effort that went into them.
There’s also tons of effort in merely technical drawings.
As said: Things can be absolutely impressive for their craft content alone. I’m not discounting that. But art is something on top of that. Art is something which works without craft. Which works with nothing more but a urinal out of a factory.
I’m not married to the word “mundane” in that comment btw it’s just a suitable word to use for the baseline I contrast the “art on top” to. If you want to use it for “basic craft, fulfills its purpose” vs. “extraordinary craft, exceeds even the wildest dreams” then be my guest, I do the same I simply didn’t happen to use it that way in that specific sentence.