Comment by mrob

I can think of one example of true pixel art that intentionally deviates from a strict pixel grid:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_(1991_video...

Look at the vegetation in the background. However, this is also a good example of the difference between real art and AI slop. There's human intention here, and I can guess a plausible scenario of how it happened.

I suspect the checkerboard pattern in the foreground came first. It has the practical utility of showing off the game's primary selling point, which is Sonic's high speed. You need a high-contrast pattern that's not too distracting and doesn't use too much memory. A checkerboard is an obvious choice. And once you've made that decision, it influences the aesthetics of everything else.

Checkerboards were a very popular texture in early 3D rendering. Any computer artist working in 1990 would be familiar with this, and would at least subconsciously think of 3D graphics. This is likely the reason for the stylized leaves on the trees, which look like low-polygon 3D models. In 1991 it felt futuristic. I believe the blocky look of the background vegetation is intended to convey this same "computer graphics" feeling. Drawing polygons is impossible, but drawing attention to the pixels gives the same impression of something futuristic.

This is the kind of non-obvious artistic decision that I don't believe current AI is capable of. A human intentionally reduced the graphics quality, and that actually made it look more futuristic. It's the kind of thing you see all the time in good art. Close examination reveals detail that deepens your appreciation for it. AI slop only imitates the surface polish of good art without including this deeper meaning. The closer you examine it the worse it looks.