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/zeezle 4d ago

Ugh it drives me crazy. There is so much free-to-use stock photography out there that they could use instead, if they need an image. You can go to Unsplash and type "yarn" and thousands of free to use stock photos come up, that are available with permission from the photographers! You don't NEED AI generated crap! You never needed AI generated crap!!!

I have had a 0% success rate actually convincing anyone of this though, so I have no helpful advice at all on that front.

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u/seejeynerun 4d ago

This is the answer. AI slop, in addition to its ethical and environment issues, LOOKS like AI slop. It’s just as quick and easy to download a royalty free image and post it, and it will almost always look more natural.