Rob Biddulph says human creativity is worth defending against AI

Rob Biddulph, a renowned children's book illustrator and author, has expressed his concern over the rise of AI-generated art and its impact on human creativity. Biddulph, who gained prominence during the Covid pandemic through his #DrawWithRob YouTube channel, has witnessed an increasing number of shops, cafes, and venues displaying posters created by AI.

Biddulph finds these AI-generated posters to be "really depressing" as they lack the individual personality and quirks that human illustrators put into their work. He believes that the essence of illustration lies in expressing one's personality, quirks, and personal decisions, which are absent in AI-generated artwork. He also finds it ironic that AI is being used to advertise local events, as these events are meant to celebrate people and community.

Beyond the high street, AI is taking away paid work from human designers and illustrators. Biddulph points out that these AI systems have been trained on the work of human artists, illustrators, photographers, and writers, without permission or compensation. He argues that the AI companies have effectively won the fight to use artists' work for free training, but the argument is far from over.

Biddulph advocates for an opt-in licensing system where using someone else's creative work to create a commercial product requires permission and payment. He believes that artists and illustrators should have the choice to make their work available for AI training, and if they do, they should be compensated accordingly. He emphasizes that this fight is crucial for the future of artists and the creative industries.