Pubs Say No to AI Art: Saving Local Artists One Pint at a Time!

In Newcastle, some pubs are taking a stand against artwork created by artificial intelligence, or AI. The Mean Eyed Cat and the Free Trade Inn are two pubs that have decided not to display any AI-generated art, including on beer bottles and pump clips. They made this decision because they want to support local artists who depend on their art for a living. Simon Hubbard, who runs the Mean Eyed Cat, noticed that more breweries are using AI art, especially the bigger and older ones. He says you can usually tell when art is made by AI because it looks too perfect and sometimes the hands look odd. Simon and the Free Trade Inn talked about this and decided to announce on social media that they would not accept AI art anymore. Their post got a lot of attention, and Simon joked that they are not worried about upsetting robots. He is more concerned about people losing their jobs because of AI. He thought creative jobs would always need real people, but now he is not so sure.

Artists are also worried about what AI means for their future. Drew Millward is an artist from Yorkshire who has worked with breweries all over the world. He says that AI could hurt artists' incomes because the software learns by looking at millions of pictures made by people. Some artists say this means AI is copying their work without permission. Drew has not seen his own art copied by AI yet, but he knows friends who have had to defend their work. He calls it 'stolen artwork. ' Ashley Willerton is another artist who has been making signs for pubs for about 12 years. He says that even though AI is becoming more common, he believes there will always be a need for real artists. He feels hopeful because his clients choose him even though AI might be cheaper and faster. Ashley thinks that some businesses will always try to save money, but others will keep supporting artists. He says that even if AI gets really good, it will never have the same meaning as art made by a person.

Reece Hugill owns Donzoko, a brewery in Newcastle. He believes that using local artists is important for building a community. He says that if he used AI for his designs, the money would go to big companies instead of staying in the local area. Reece thinks that local artists understand what people in Newcastle like, while a computer does not. He also wonders if using AI means a business might try to save money in other ways, like using cheaper ingredients or not paying workers well. Since the pubs made their announcement, Simon Hubbard hopes that more breweries will think about how they use art. Drew Millward thinks more businesses should be open about whether they use AI art. He hopes that good art made by people will always be valued. Ashley Willerton agrees and believes that real art will always be important, no matter how good AI gets.