Walter Benjamin in the bathhouse: Meditations on robot mothers, daydreams, and art in the <scp>AI</scp> era

Abstract This essay explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on creativity and art. Through a blend of autoethnography and critical perspectives on technology, ethics, and creativity, the essay utilizes the camera obscura as a metaphor to explore how the digital era transforms artistic practices, commodifies artistic products, and reshapes the relationship between human and creation. Obscura 1 examines the shift from traditional artistic practices to those infused with AI. Obscura 2 analyzes the commodification of art in the digital age, considering issues of artistic control and audience consumption. Finally, Obscura 3 reflects on the connection between AI‐generated art and the human experience of creativity, particularly the psychological impact of artmaking and its potential transformation in the digital realm.