Illustrators are calling out the huge amounts of recognizably copyrighted artwork mined for training by AI algorithms. The Center for Artistic Inquiry and Reporting published an open letter recently asking for signatures in support of illustrators, particularly those working in media publishing.

AI-art generators are trained on enormous datasets, containing millions upon millions of copyrighted images, harvested without their creator’s knowledge, let alone compensation or consent. This is effectively the greatest art heist in history. Perpetrated by respectable-seeming corporate entities backed by Silicon Valley venture capital. It’s daylight robbery.

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