What should we value in art?

A common critique of Ai art is that there is little or no effort involved. And while I've often spent hours getting a Midjourney output that is close to what I have in mind, I think this pales in comparison to the time it would take a talented artist to achieve.

While there may be an element of truth to this critique, I think it overlooks a big part of what we value in art.

The focus of this critique rests on the production of the work. But what about the conception? Is this not where the artist brings their vision, their taste, their curation, their ideas, their message, and ultimately their imagination?

When we value artistic merit and craftsmanship over the voice and the mind of an artist, we are only paying attention to one element of often what makes art so compelling.

While I respect and value the craftsmanship involved in traditional art, I don't believe It's all we should value.