# AI Art Conference Interest **Opening (not a real abstract):** Statement of Interest Nick Young and Enrico Terrone Our research examines generative AI systems like Midjourney as artistic media rather than agents or tools. We draw parallels between AI-assisted art creation and gardening, introducing the concept of machina naturans as analogous to natura naturans in gardening. Our work explores how creating with generative AI can be likened to gardening in terms of control versus unpredictability, and considers implications for artistic skill and creativity. We argue that these systems present a form of dynamic recalcitrance that artists navigate, similar to how gardeners work with autonomous natural processes. This research was recently accepted for publication in the Philosophical Quarterly under the title "Growing the Image: Generative AI and the Medium of Gardening". **Authors:** [[Nick Young and Enrico Terrone]]