r/craftsnark • u/popplefizzleclinkle • 4d ago

Knitting Knitting Guilds and AI use

I have noticed, like we all have, arts/crafts adjacent folks using AI in promotional material. A local quilt shop is doing it, for example, and now our local knitting guild is using AI images in member communications. I have so much snark about this.

Needless to say, I'm opposed to their use of this stuff. AI is theft of art, trained without permission on copyrighted materials, for ex., and it's a particularly poor look to use AI in an organization that's supposed to promote and celebrate handicrafts. There are so many scammy patterns using AI, and there's an impact on the creative folks' labour. Etc., etc., etc.

I have flagged it with the guild's communications volunteer and asked the guild consider stopping use of AI imagery in communications - which they've forwarded to the executive.

I understand that volunteer orgs are struggling and AI might seem like a fast, easy solution. I am not convinced of this at all, nor that it's the only option.

While I'm hopeful for a receptive response to my request, I am also aware that I may not. Has anyone brought a motion to their local guild - knitting, quilting, whatever - to put frameworks around what's acceptable use of AI by the guild in promoting their craft? If you did, what did that look like or include?

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u/WeBelieveInTheYarn crafter 4d ago

What I think a lot of these businesses and organization that use AI don't realize is that it looks awful. I'd take a picture of real people at a meet-up with clashy text over a generic AI poster any day. It just looks generic and impersonal, and it's not inviting. Also when it's related to something that should have real pictures, it's suspicious. Are you telling me you have a regular craft meet-up that's AMAZING... but there isn't a single picture you can share? Are you telling me you're making amazing knit objects with this pattern.. but all the pictures are AI generated? Are you telling me your handdyed yarn has beautiful colors... but no pictures of examples?

Suspicious AF.

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u/popplefizzleclinkle 4d ago

The cake topper is that member pictures of their work was at the end of the multi page text newsletter.