cloudskater

You hit the nail on the head, my friend.

Assuming they are disabled, which a passerby like myself cannot be expected to know, that does not excuse the deliberate choice to use ethically unsound technology. It’s especially true in this case, as even if a disability limits your potential as a visual artist, you’ll gladly commission somebody if you have any respect for the craft. I know this because I too have such a disability, and it hurts. It hurts knowing I might forever depend on the hands of others to bring some of my ideas to life, but you know what? That only strengthens my appreciation of visual artists and their work. I’d rather commission a talented artist to mix my silly brainwaves with their personal flourishes and create something meaningful, ten times over, then throw some words at an industrialized theft machine to get soulless slop.

Agreed. Also OP is the moderator of PeerTube .wtf which I recently moved away from on account of being told I should waste my time, energy, and (nonexistent) artistic ability creating artwork for someone who already decided to “generate” slop instead of commissioning an actual artist.

Followed by a sneering, rude as hell comment that’s actually praising them.

That’s true, people can grow and change. Heck, I used CharacterAI for a very, very brief period when I was lying to myself about it’s impact on not just the world and artists but myself too. I quickly realized I couldn’t defend it, and I didn’t like how it was affecting me personally either so I quickly got rid of it. Been strongly anti-“AI” ever since.

HOWEVER, I also think it is worth criticizing those who are only giving it up now, because that’s absurd. We’ve all know for ages that this stuff is horrible for everybody and everything an disrespectful to artists, and it doesn’t even take much thinking to come to that conclusion on your own. If this is the tipping point that makes someone give up “AI”, I still consider them a fucking idiot. I’m just glad their stupidity is harming everyone else a bit less now.

I cannot believe this is what it took for a boycott to go more mainstream. Tell me more about how so many people have no respect for the environment or the artists who’s work they gleefully consume.