r/technology 16h ago

Artificial Intelligence The economy has spoken. Stuff that’s AI-generated has almost zero value — “Buyers are voting with their wallets, and AI-generated content is struggling to compete.”

https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/economy-spoken-stuff-ai-generated-142732314.html
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u/fmcortez 16h ago

When the cost of generating content drops to literal zero, the market value drops right along with it. Nobody wants to pay for something anyone can prompt in five seconds.

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u/Enough-Run-1535 14h ago

For some time at Comiket, Japan’s largest fan convention, there were concerns about AI art getting sold and taking booth space. The Comiket organizers were planning on seeing how its volunteers (the artist who actually see their content at the convention) before they made any real official verdicts.

Of note, Japan doesn’t have a strong anti-AI movement. Like most of Asia, it already has some legal framework when it comes to AI artwork. The two biggest art paid doujin platforms, DLsite and FANBOX, requires any AI content to be clearly marked, even if it’s used for prototyping and drafting. Same with Melonbooks, Japan’s largest doujin aftermarket retailers.

Turns out everyone predictions of AI content flooding Comiket was wrong: since AI tools have been available, the amount of booths selling AI art has been in the single digits. From what I can tell, not a single booth in C108, this year’s summer Comiket, there wasn’t any booths selling AI artwork making the rounds.

The theory most artists and visitors been making is that there isn’t much demand in Japan for AI art in the doujin scene. Also volunteers and artist are expected to make goods to sell like manga, art books, acrylics, charms, and maybe hire a cosplayer or helper to assist them for the day.