07/08/2026
The AI discussion continues to heat up.
I used to use generative AI early on, for the reasons current defenders of the tool continue to point to. Times are tough. Sales are down across the board. There's only budget to hire artists sparingly, for specific applications where the costs can be absorbed. In my mind at the time, I wasn't taking work from graphic designers or artists, because either way it would be me doing the work, for free for my company. This was before I understood that the models are trained on artists work, without their consent or compensation. That alone was reason enough for me to make the personal choice to invest more time into learning other graphic design tools and get better at design. Learning how much water is used to cool the computers, and the fact that it's not even closed loop and comes out non-potable, to me the cost isn't worth it. In the brewery, every drop of my heat exchange water comes out potable and is used to make either beer (whole it's still hot) or ice for the bar (after it's reached room temp).
I already tend bar most shifts and overall perform most functions for the business, so I do understand what it's like to have many hats and stacks of work. I still feel better about sticking to my own work manipulating photos and fonts to make the flyers I need rather than waste resources to prop up corporations attempting to thrive by stealing art. Sometimes my work is more basic. I don't think that's going to hold us back.
I won't be the one to shame anyone else for the choices they make. But for shows here, I'm going to continue to make every effort to avoid generative AI flyers. Hopefully that isn't somehow offensive to defenders of the tool in a way that prohibits them from attending our events.
In summary: use whatever tools you want. I'll use the tools that I want. I only ask that if we're hosting, please don't submit AI made flyers.
For the algorithm, here's a photo that I took. Unlike the subject of this photo, my spirit is unbroken.
