Clemens Maurer: Merging Art and Artificial Intelligence to Redefine Creativity

How do you see artificial intelligence shaping the future of art and creativity?

AI will transform the creative process by revolutionizing the way ideas are conceptualized. Its ability to quickly create endless visual designs allows artists to push boundaries and explore new levels of innovation, breaking free from traditional limitations. This opens up a variety of creative possibilities and democratizes artistic expression.

In the long term, AI will reshape the creative industries, bringing with it both opportunities and challenges. Ethical and legal issues such as copyright, ownership and copyright issues must be resolved. While some traditional artists may feel threatened, AI will not replace traditional art forms but will instead act as a tool to enhance creativity. Similar to how photography has evolved into an art form in its own right, AI has the potential to create a unique space in the art world and encourage artists to develop new languages ​​and styles.

Can you tell us about one of your most captivating projects and what made it stand out for you?

I think the series 'Timeless' was a turning point. Until then, everything I had done with AI was more of a pure hobby, but the response to this series was astonishingly high and very positive, opening several doors for me. That was the first time I realized that this might be more than just a personal pastime.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face when working with AI in your art?

Sometimes, when I get stuck on an idea and the result just doesn’t turn out as I envisioned, I think that’s the biggest challenge: getting the AI to produce exactly the results you want. But the more I work with it, the more I realize that for me the much bigger challenge is not getting lost in the endless possibilities the technology offers. In the past, there were all sorts of factors that limited you: time, budget, available technology, personal skills. But now, those limitations no longer exist. Anything—any type of image—can be generated within seconds. How do you maintain an overview in this endlessness? Which path do you take? How do you prevent yourself from getting sidetracked or heading in the wrong direction? I admire people who manage to find their own distinctive style with AI. I realize that I let myself get too easily distracted by all the possibilities, so for me, that’s the biggest challenge when creating art with AI.

Why did you decide to pursue a career that merges art and artificial intelligence?

Ever since finishing art school, it’s been my dream to work more artistically again. For years, I spent my free time doing analog photography. But that also requires time—a resource often lacking alongside a full-time job. My office shelves are now piled with years’ worth of negatives, still waiting to be scanned. AI was a revelation for me because it allows for much faster and easier image creation while using far less of my limited time. At the same time, it enables me to realize more ideas than would ever have been possible with traditional techniques. For me, pursuing this path was the only logical step.

Which project has been the most difficult for you to work on, and what made it so challenging?

In my art projects, I have complete freedom—there’s no pressure, no specific expectations. If I hit a roadblock or don’t achieve the result I envisioned, I can simply set the project aside and work on something else. Things get more challenging when it comes to collaborations, where a specific outcome is required. It becomes even more difficult when real, tangible objects need to be integrated into the AI-generated world. This is where the current capabilities of the technology quickly reach their limits, and I have to rely on traditional image editing tools again. The videos for L’Officiel Monaco are a good example of this. It wouldn’t have been possible to seamlessly integrate the real magazine cover into the artificial worlds using AI alone.

What role does photography play in your art, and how does it influence your use of AI?

Photography has been a constant throughout my professional career, whether in print design projects or web design—it always involved photography. Even in my free time, I’ve always taken photos. My smartphone camera is always with me, and I usually carry one or two analog cameras as well. Photography is essentially part of my DNA. That’s why a photographic perspective—or at least a photographic aesthetic—often takes center stage in my AI creations. I try to avoid making my work look too painterly or illustrative, focusing instead on ensuring that my pieces could be perceived as 'real' photographs.

When you’re not working, what activities do you enjoy in your free time?

In my free time, I need as much movement and fresh air as possible—partly to clear my head and also as a balance to the hours spent sitting in the office. A hike with my dogs through the Brandenburg countryside is the perfect counterbalance—the dirtier my clothes and shoes are afterward, the better. I’ve also discovered long-distance hiking trails for myself. There’s nothing better than exploring a region or landscape on foot. As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said: 'Only where you have walked on foot have you truly been.

How do you balance your professional life as an Art Director and Graphic Designer with your personal artistic projects?

I'm still trying to find the right balance. Like I said, initially, the AI projects were just a hobby—something I did on the side, a playground to explore the possibilities of the new technology and experiment with ideas. But the more I got into it and the more collaboration requests started coming in, the more space this 'hobby' began to take up. Fortunately, creating with AI requires minimal setup—a smartphone and a few spare minutes are often enough to realize some ideas. That said, I would love to expand the artistic side even further, but at the end of the day, I still have to pay my bills.