Co also expresses frustration with the fact that AI is increasingly being used in commercial spaces, including conventions. "I don’t think AI-generated art should be allowed at all in those industries," he says. "But I see it more and more these days."

In his view, AI is not just a tool, it's a direct threat to creative jobs. "AI should only be seen as a threat to creative jobs," Co asserts. Though he believes AI has potential as a tool, he sees the ease with which people can misuse it to exploit artists' work as a major issue. "Artists already get taken advantage of," he says. "This only helps selfish people do it more often and more easily."

Need for Protections in an AI-Driven Industry

As AI continues to make inroads into the art world, artists like Co, McMahon, and Templesmith believe that protections are needed to ensure that artists are fairly compensated for their work, especially when it is used to train AI systems. "At the very least, artists need to be given credit and compensation if their work is used to train AI," Co suggests.

McMahon also believes that ongoing conversations about the impact of AI on the creative process are essential. "Having meaningful discussions with political leaders, unions, and boards to put contracts and laws in place to safeguard our careers and skills is definitely needed," she says. "If governments don’t regulate AI and protect jobs, they will find cities worth of people unemployed and there won’t be new career paths or jobs to replace what AI has taken."

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