There are many very talented artists out there. You don't need me to tell you that. You probably know some. You may even be one (if so, keep doing what you're doing!).
So why is it that shitty AI slop posters, shirts, stickers, keychains, and all manner of other items are showing up in surf shops and souvenir shops in little surf towns?
I've previously mentioned that my family spent Spring Break in Cayucos, CA (absolutely worth the visit if you've never been). And walking into shops, seeing AI junk on stuff for sale or advertising some upcoming event...it hurt. Not even funky little towns that literally have their own art and maker collectives are immune.
Now, I tend to judge this stuff internally. Maybe ask who did the artwork if I see something on social media if only to elicit an admission of AI usage. My teenagers, however, bless 'em, they have no problem whatsoever commenting out loud in the moment how crappy something with AI art looks and they will stand there and pick apart all the problems with it.
For example, a local surf shop that also sells bait and tackle equipment in Cayucos posted an advertisement for their Whopper contest (catch the biggest fish you can kinda thing) and the poster was basically some big fish sitting in a hamburger bun with all the toppings on a beach with sweet surf in the background.
It was...clearly AI. That just slightly too smoothed over art. Me...I just sighed, a little dejected that this shop that did right by us with a board and suit rental, had resorted to shitty AI art to advertise something. (And, strangely, one of the local churches seemed to be the great purveyor of all poster advertisements featuring AI art.)
Anyway, the kids and their friends stood there and pointed out every "wrong" thing with that Whopper poster. The fins of the fish sticking up through the bun stood out most to me. And they had no problem doing that in full view of the staff.
Honestly, good! I mean, AI certainly has its uses and some benefits, but art isn't one of them. And I truly hope hearing people's comments discourages businesses from using it in the future.
I've truly started to unfollow businesses that use it too much. I don't want to see it, I don't want to give them my hard-earned dollars. I'd rather give my money to some business that hires an actually artist or even just leans into goofy clipart.
One of the worst offenders of using AI lately has been the tiki culture community. I swear, tiki culture has some of the most amazing artists carving tikis, making lamps, sculpting mugs, and more...and yet...somehow there's fucking AI art advertising some event or other all through tiki culture. It's maddening.
AI GTFO.