My coworker called AI art 'just a tool' and it made me think about my friend who's a painter

He said it's like a new kind of paintbrush over coffee yesterday, but my friend in Austin who sells her watercolors online told me her sales have dropped by almost half since last year because clients just ask for 'something like this' from an AI generator instead.

5 comments

5 Comments

shane_bell12d agoTop Commenter

Remember my buddy's comic shop closing?

tessaperry21d ago

Your friend's sales drop is rough, but maybe it's just a market shift, not the end of her career.

angela_patel7521d ago

My local bakery's custom cake orders are down too.

casey81812d ago

Watch the grocery store bakery sections. They sell whole cakes for twenty bucks now, the kind that used to be a custom order. People see that price and just grab it for a birthday, even if it's not as good. It's killing the special order business for the small guys who can't match that. They're stuck charging for real buttercream and personal designs while the chain down the street undercuts them on basics.

charles72021d ago

That's a real shame to hear, it seems like a lot of small spots are feeling the pinch lately. Makes you wonder if people are just cutting back on special treats to save money. Really hope both places can pull through, local bakeries are the best. Tough times for sure.