The 10,000 Bowls of Oatmeal problem talks about when generated objects are mathematically unique versus perceptually unique. One idea that is closely related to perceptual uniqueness is perceptual differentiation.
Perceptual differentiation is when users identify the 2 object, the current and the last object as different objects at a glance. They just have to be visually different, but users may not remember them. On the other hand, perceptual uniqueness is when each artifact has their own personality which the viewers can recognize and remember.
In cases where the artists is building a dynamic background, perceptual differentiation of the background objects might be sufficient. For generative artifacts that are the center of a piece, perpetuation uniqueness shall be explored extensively.
This relates to building artifacts with readable traits that humans can relate to and identify with. This reminds me of a book I read on architecture, and it showcases how a slightly bent curve and convey a completely different feeling, and sometimes may constitute parts of a human representation, giving furnitures and architecture humanness. This applies to the plant project the author talks about, or essentially any artifact we generate. The closer it looks like human related objects, the more likely we are to identify and remember it.