These 5 Art Websites Have Banned AI-Generated Images: Here’s Why
AI generators like Midjournery and ChatGPT are becoming integral to several industries and are unlikely to go away. But the morality of creating content through artificial intelligence is catching up to them.
Many art websites have banned AI images from their platforms. At the same time, lawsuits and better systems are emerging to stop the free rein of AI engines and their developers.
Here’s why some sites no longer accept AI-generated images and what it means for the art world.
Why Are Websites Banning AI-Generated Content?
It’s a harsh but reasonable policy for websites to combat the abuses of generators and users alike. It champions original art that doesn’t violate anyone’s copyright.
At the same time, other services try to implement a fairer use of AI technology. A great example isShutterstock’s AI image generator, which compensates the original artists and lets users make the most of DALL-E 2 without feeling guilty.
If you want to better understand why platforms are rejecting AI images, consider theethical pros and cons of AI art generation.
On the one hand, anyone can create pictures cheaply or even for free. But engines need masses of images, often obtained without consent, to learn and produce art based on prompts.
Not only that, but people exploit the technology. Some use it to cut corners at work. Others monetize their AI-generated content. They claim artworks they put no effort into or that clearly copy existing artists’ styles.
This iswhy Getty Images sued Stability AI, whileGitHub’s litigationtargets Copilot and its OpenAI Codex. The growing movement against AI generation aims to force programmers to respect copyright laws and make their processes fairer.
It’s the best way to cease conflict as artificial intelligence takes root in more and more industries, from art to business management.
According toMcKinsey’s reviewof the state of AI in 2022, the technology’s global adoption is 2.5x higher than in 2017. Investment is heavier, too, as 52 percent of organizations reported that AI got five percent or more of their digital budget.
AI technology is the future, but art generation is a part of it that can’t integrate with society smoothly unless it rethinks its strategy. The following art websites provide a good ethical jolt.
1. Getty Images
In 2022, Getty Images officially challenged AI art by banning its use on the website. The technology still has vague legal boundaries, but the potential rights violations are clear.
This concerned the executives of Getty Images, specifically in relation to the sources of AI images, their metadata, and their human subjects.
Getty Images could see problems on the horizon and decided to protect its artists and users from the repercussions.
2. Newgrounds
Another website that banned AI images is Newgrounds. Users must only contribute original works, untouched by tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, and even ArtBreeder.
There are some exceptions, however. Theart guidelines on Newgroundsallow original designs to have AI-generated backgrounds, and you can use AI images as inspiration. Tracing isn’t a good idea.
What’s essential in these cases is transparency. Original artists using a bit of AI in their work must declare it.
3. PurplePort
AI art affects photography, too, which triggeredPurplePort’s blog postand ban. Like Newgrounds, this platform accepts simple machine-generated backgrounds, but nothing more.
PurplePort’s policy has less to do with fears of violating people’s rights and more with the fact that AI-generated images go against what the website stands for.
It advocates for humans investing their time and skill into creating art that didn’t just come from a prompt and algorithm.
4. InkBlot
Using image generators for reference or inspiration is allowed on InkBlot, as long as artists are honest about it and give appropriate credit.
What this art website has banned is the upload of works even partly created by any AI tool. Drawing over-generated images is also unacceptable.
AsInkBlot’s content policiesclearly state, admins remove all content that ignores the platform’s rules on AI art.
5. Fur Affinity
A final site to keep in mind when it comes to official bans on users uploading AI-generated content is Fur Affinity. Original works are, once again, a must.
Theguide on Fur Affinity uploadsincludes a small section on artificial intelligence, its regulations stricter than the platforms above.
It tolerates no generator of any kind. You can’t even use them for backgrounds, inspiration, or to create and share content based on your own original work.
Websites and Artists Can Make AI Image Generators More Ethical
The good and bad side of AI-generated art is becoming clearer thanks to brands like Getty Images and PurplePort. These popular communities for artists set valuable ethical and practical boundaries on the use of artificial intelligence.
The pressure on AI engineers grows as artists find ways to protect themselves, too. Between bans on art websites and people actively combating machine-generated content, the industry might change for the better.
If you’re worried about datasets scraping your images to train AI, use these methods to protect your work.
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