Form Letters

Hello, <client name>, thanks for your interest in working together.

Before we discuss any further, I have to say, I have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to generative ai. There is simply no ethical way to use it, including for reference, placeholder, etc. Also, you should understand that even if that weren’t the case, if a real artist were to use these references in any way it would only bring down the quality of what you get. Just seeing them at all poisons the well in a way that may not be obvious unless you’ve been making pictures your whole life. I cannot even look at them.

The use of generative ai is not a victimless crime. It damages the environment and steals from working artists like me and my colleagues. My community has been devastated by this mass misappropriation, in a way that is impossible to convey. We are working people, just like everyone else, who have spent many years creating work for very little compensation, only to see what little we have built up stolen by big tech and cavalierly used by some members of the public for fun and convenience.

Generative ai is literally nothing without all our stolen work. But because so much work has been stolen, users don’t make the connection that they are stealing from individual artists. It’s like that saying, “A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic.” There are also other ethical issues with it I won’t get into.

The typical replies we get are things like, “I’m not an illustrator so [I have no choice]…” or “I’m a small business [and can’t afford to pay an artist…]” The first thing does not entitle anyone to take from someone else, and the second one is true of the very artists whose livelihoods have been taken away or diminished by this illegal copyright violation.

If you want to talk further about working together, I would love to. I would work from written descriptions and/or your sketches. You should know that any real artist would rather see a crude sketch of a client’s vision than something ai-generated.

So, let me know what you would like to do!

Hello! I recently visited <business name> and enjoyed <something specific>. I also noticed some imagery that was made using generative AI. If I am incorrect, my apologies, please disregard. If I am correct, may I encourage you to reconsider.

It is not a victimless crime. It kills the environment, perpetuates racial inequality, funds political bias, exploits workers, steals from artists (who are all small business just like you), and teaches violence. More info.

It degrades customer trust. Half of people aged 15-40 say genAI use reduces their trust in a business. Six times as many people in 2026 say genAI use reduces their trust in a business than in 2025, and the number is still growing. Source.

There are other methods out there. These include Canva, stock imagery, and good old Microsoft Word or other text editors. You could also work with real human artists such as myself. I’m not here to sell you anything. In fact, I’ve made similar illustrations for nothing more than a free latte.

I understand the struggle of having limited resources. Generative AI only works because large corporations steal from human artists as they’ve admitted themselves. Many small businesses manage to do just fine without it.

You never need to use generative AI, it’s always a choice, and most users simply don’t know the full consequences of that decision. There is simply no ethical way to use generative AI, and no excuse. It is never the only option, it is the cheapest, quickest option, at the expense of human creativity and the local community.

Please feel free to follow up with any questions you might have, I’d be happy to discuss this topic with you.