Unveiling Cara: The Social Network Revolutionizing Art in the Age of AI

While the world grapples with a future in which fakes become increasingly difficult to distinguish from the real thing, a safe space within the digital realm for art aficionados of real things emerges in the form of Cara, a platform for social media and portfolios. Cara is paving the way to protect and celebrate authentic artistic expression, amid the encroachment of falsehoods from the realm of so-called artificial intelligence-generated (AI-generated) art. Over the course of this article, you will gain insights into why Cara stands out for its protection of real things amidst a digital landscape teeming with digital fakes, and how to join in and find this safe space for yourself.

DISCOVER Genuine Creativity: Cara's Mission Unveiled

It is this lofty mission at the core of Cara: to safeguard the authenticity of human creativity. In its no-AI-art policy, Cara makes it possible for users to find and experience artworks as the expressions of real human minds and real human hands, and nothing less. This communicates to makers of art and new media that this is an environment in which they can tell their stories and express their feelings authentically. And all of this offers a clear set of steps for companies to find real talent, creating an ecosystem for the creative industries of the future.

DISCOVER The Catalyst Behind Cara: Discover the Reason

This has caused great anxiety since the pace of its reproduction in almost every industry, including the creatives, has created a situation in which users, often unwittingly, contribute the majority of data used to train AI to produce products on digital platforms that now crowd out all else. In June 2023, Meta was called out for using data compiled from text that users write and post without explicit consent on products that are sold to third parties without remuneration to their ‘creators’. Jingna Zhang, a photographer and the founder of Cara, sums up the feeling this way: Their work is repurposed without credit, value or acknowledgement of the journey they have embarked on to produce it.

DISCOVER a Safe Haven for Artists

And really, it’s not even about banning AI-generated work – it’s putting down a marker for future generations who will likely need a framework for how to think about ethics in a digital age. While not shutting the door completely on the possibility that AI-generated portfolios might be accepted one day, Cara said: ‘We need to be clear with ourselves now to be able to tell what is an AI-generated piece and what is not. If it becomes being handled by AI in a way that the artist can still flourish and is not just taking over humans, then we will need a regulatory framework around how you are still protecting that artist’s rights.’ While she accepts that a small number of human judges will always be needed to keep the platform honest – think of a ‘digital proof of work’ similar to the mining that secures the Bitcoin blockchain – the reception of her open letter has been overwhelmingly positive, so much so that she’s seen a mass exodus to Cara by people who feel they can finally share their work safely, free from AI contamination.

DISCOVER How to Join the Movement

Starting with the Cara journey is simple, and we help artists and art lovers enter an authentic world. Cara is a free website and mobile app (available on iOS and Android) with all the familiar social-networking features for art. You can showcase your own work, follow the feed to see what others are doing, find and share inspiration, and of course, network with others.

DISCOVER Cara's Features

If you’ve never used Cara before, you’ll find a community that will help you along in your creativity. You can set up an account in seconds and start sharing your artwork, find local jobs in the arts, and join a community that is committed to the idea of keeping human creativity sacred. Cara users also have the benefit of a simple and complete FAQ section and support system for learning to use Cara to create and share in new, inspiring ways.

DISCOVER Growth and Challenges

It has witnessed exponential usage growth since its creation and the increasing numbers provide a clear insight to the vibrant need for an AI-free space. But the rise in popularity also brings its own issues, such as how to manage the new influx of users. Nevertheless, Cara remains committed in its aim and continues to streamline its services for its growing #CreativeCara community.

DISCOVERING Cara's Essence

Cara isn’t just a marketplace; it’s a movement. It’s a fight for a new understanding of the role of creativity in the digital era. Right now, artists are fighting back against an increasingly false artistic landscape. By giving creators the means to commandeer their own corner of the world, Cara’s no-artificial-noise policy stands as one of the strongest defences against a fully automated future – not only for the value of individual creativity, but also for an environment that’s more open and more ethical, for creators and for consumers alike.

To follow Cara is to open a door to a world where the sincerity of art is not challenged, where artists are not haunted by the spectre of AI. In the years to come, I hope that the platform will continue to develop and grow in this direction, as a clearing in the digital woodland for the arts. If we want to, we might find our way back to the centre of artistic creation.