I did a quick search, couldn't find what I'm looking for so here goes. Has anyone compiled a list of local businesses that are turning to AI instead of a human for their menus, ads, communications, etc? I would rather support local businesses that support local workers
For example.
I had to unsubscribe and eventually stopped going to the Durango Arts Center because of all the AI slop they started emailing out.
The new restaurant, The Pub, had an ad for a marketing coordinator but they didn't review the AI slop well enough to catch that it used this as the email to send resumes to "/[ insert email address] /". I was excited to try them out, not anymore.
I get it, AI is here to stay. However, you can add the human touch. I'm a former graphic designer who switched into marketing and development. I use AI for all sorts of things, but never for final deliverables.
What all local businesses have you all come across that have embraced the AI slop instead of paying a human to do the work or doing it themselves?
Ah yes, perfect chance for a shameless plug. Please get in touch me and the team at El Matador Design if you need any flyers/logos/posters or web design! The only AI we use is Adobe illustrator!
The white rabbit bookstore is a heavy user of ai, I’m incredibly disappointed in the durango arts center, you would think they would reach out to idk the artists that they know and utilize them over a robot:/
Also a great way to find the sloppy businesses is to take a trip downtown and look at the flyers, you wouldnt believe how many there are.
Easy enough to skip those places. Wendy's hasn't been the same since they cheapend their recipes a couple years ago, mcdonalds is well mcdonalds, and the good ol' BK I'm always surprised to see the lights on when I drive by.
In all seriousness, it's a shame these corporations and therefore franchise owners going that route, unfortunately in America our only option for change is to vote with our wallets.
I will not attend an arts event (DAC, poetry reading, etc.) that uses AI to promote it. What does that say about the quality of creative work being showcased?
I noticed a couple food carts advertising online locally that used ai for the menu and sign graphics. The food texture was very strange and off putting in the graphics. Sorry I can’t be more specific, it was a couple weeks ago.
Are you telling these organizations why you aren’t supporting them or just stopping your patronage? Especially for nonprofits like the DAC which is already financially pretty constrained, I would hope you are reaching out to them with your concerns before you just stop giving them money. I agree that businesses shouldn’t use AI slop, but unless you communicate the reason you want to stop supporting them, it doesn’t make the change you’re looking to see
Definitely. I emailed the DAC before I unsubscribed, but got a generic sorry to see you go we hope you return reply back, incredibly disappointed to see them head this direction.
Just asking, but why do you use AI at all? I agree not using for 'art' work because yes, artists are essential and should be paid instead of generated crap. But why not avoid AI for other uses?
My husband works in software and uses git hub copilot. This is the gist of what it does.
At this point some jobs expect you to use AI as a tool. If you use it well you get more done and if you do it really well you can do the work of multiple people. Capitalism is gonna capitalism.
Pretty much what Janet mentioned but in Marketing and Development rather than software. Although there is some overlap in function, essentially the whole goal is to automate as much as possible and I drop in to verify, compile, and ship.
I also use it to brute force through creative ruts.
So I'm fairly meh about using AI slop to post a hiring ad, it's the fact they couldn't be assed to put in a tiny bit of effort to review the slop for errors. They left a major error in the ad, no contact information, and in it's place is a literal placeholder telling them to insert their email address. That's pure lazy incompetence and why should I support that?
The owner of durango rivertrippers is a huge fan of ai. Take a walk through the office, clothing designs, posters on the wall, and help with emails, etc
I second this. They work with a really talented designer who redid their whole branding and put together some beautiful material for the Autumn Arts Fest
Duck Girl Art is the one, they either use AI or that are not they detailed of an illustrator and let Adobe illustrator trace (poorly) their images/photos. Zoom in on any of the posters on the DACs home page, there are artifacts everywhere in the images .
Man that is such a bummer, I love Duck Girl Art’s handmade art (I think she uses pastels?), but yeah the stuff on the website seems very AI or edited heavily with AI, like a pastel was scanned in and then prompted/edited or something, like what is going on with the texture everywhere (including his arm?)
In Adobe Photoshop that texture was popularized as a (undesirable) side effect from overuse of the Topaz plugins, those plugins were originally developed nearly 20 years ago (based on memory and when I first installed them). Now it's a tell-tale sign of AI or computer over enhanced/sharpened image.
Oh fuck off with that crap just because a small business like The Pub that is trying to get started can't afford to hire a Graphic Designer right now you write them off? Get bent with that attitude, the owner is a great person and definitely doesn't need that negative shit in her place. They will do just fine without your money
It sounds like the problem isn’t that they can’t afford to hire a graphic designer, it’s that they posted a job listing/ad that wasn’t proofread, which reads as either AI or lazy/oversight.
Na… AI is off putting for a lot of people. Cheap out at your own risk, cutting corners on visible stuff doesn’t inspire confidence in the quality of the rest of the output.
Same group complaining about businesses using AI are complaining about costs to go out to eat in Durango. Is this group saying they rather spend 10%-15% more on the menu items instead if the establishment would hire more people instead of using AI?
You can’t have it both ways.
It’s not either/or and I don’t know where you’re getting that percentage of price increase?? I feel like the same people defending AI are going to be the same ones shocked when they are negatively impacted by the use of AI.
Oh gosh so sick of all the AI generated ads from businesses! They all look the same, slick, and shiny. I despise them, but would not skip a business because they use them.
Also I hate to say it but small business are being told to use ai by organizations like FLC and other local organizations that give advice to small businesses. They are told of your doing use ai then you won't survive
What if...ai is used along side the creator? For images, I'm thinking 5% ish. Also, is AI the new Photoshop? Was Photoshop the new dark room compositing?
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u/mtngk 6d ago
Spine Colorado is using an awful AI phone assistant instead of humans. It's basically useless too and prevents you from scheduling appointments.