AI won't kill art for the same reason photography didn't

The struggle to create realistic images was over at least 200 years before the first camera. Since cameras cannot create images of things that don't exist, there was still work for artists. 

Things like stencils, tracing, and clip art made did not kill off artwork either, they just made it easier. 

All artists imitate the work of others; AI just automates the process. 

There is a lot of AI slop out there, but also some intriguing creations. It will be years before the potential of this technology is mature. 

I predict that the most successful artists of the future will be the ones able to draw inspiration from many sources.