Famed Russian Painter Embraces AI to Streamline Artistic Process

Nikas Safronov says artificial intelligence is a helpful tool for artists—not a threat to creativity.

Renowned Russian painter Nikas Safronov has voiced support for integrating artificial intelligence into the creative process. In an interview with Argumenty i Fakty, he said that advanced technologies can relieve artists from tedious tasks, giving them more freedom to focus on crafting truly original work.

Safronov recalled a recent commission: while painting a portrait of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the client requested a background change. Instead of starting from scratch, Safronov used AI to quickly generate a new version combining traditional and modern Indian themes.

Despite the advantages, the artist warned that truly skilled craftspeople—those capable of creating art by hand—are becoming increasingly rare. He emphasized that AI should be seen as a tool, much like the internet, rather than a replacement for human creativity and intuition.

Today, artists are using AI to compose music and write poetry. According to Safronov, technology can help execute an idea, but getting it right often takes dozens of iterations before achieving the intended effect.