Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

The convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and Plato’s Theory of Art invites a profound re-examination of creativity, beauty, and truth in a tech-mediated world. Plato’s conception of art as mimesis (an imitation of ideal Forms) provides a timeless philosophical framework for evaluating how digital tech redefines artistic production and aesthetic experience. The central problem arises from the erosion of traditional notions of authorship, originality, and meaning. As AI systems generate artworks that rival human creativity and social media transforms art into algorithmic performance measured by visibility and engagement, the intrinsic relationship between the artist, truth, and beauty becomes destabilized. This study seeks to interrogate how AI-driven creation and digital mediation reinforce or subvert Platonic ideals. Adopting a qualitative and historical-critical method, it engages classical philosophical texts alongside contemporary instances of AI-generated art and social media expression to uncover their ontological and epistemic implications. Findings indicate that while AI amplifies the scope of creative production, it simultaneously distances artistic creation from the human source of intention and insight. Social media, though democratizing artistic visibility, often substitutes contemplative appreciation with performative consumption. Together, they embody Plato’s apprehension that imitation may distance humanity from reality, even as they reveal new dimensions of participatory creativity and aesthetic evolution. The paper concludes that Plato’s reflections remain intellectually potent in navigating the ethical and aesthetic tensions of digital artistry. AI and social media, though disruptive, extend the Platonic discourse on mimesis into the age of intelligent machines. It recommends renewed and sustained philosophical engagement among artists, educators, and technologists to ensure that technological innovation enriches, rather than eclipses, the human imagination.

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