Procreate's anti-AI vow draws applause from digital creatives

Many users can breathe a sigh of relief now that the popular iPad illustration app Procreate has taken a clear stance on generative AI. "We don't put any generative artificial intelligence into our products," Procreate CEO James Cuda said in a video posted to X. 

These concerns have prompted some digital illustrators to look for alternative solutions that integrate applications with creative AI tools such as Adobe Photoshop. "Generative AI is removing humanity from things. This technology is based on theft and is leading us to a sterile future. "We think machine learning is a convincing technology with a lot of merit, but the road generative AI is wrong for us."

The statement has already attracted widespread fame from creative online who are not satisfied with other companies have treated the growing abundance of Generative AI tools. Clip Studio Paint, a competing illustration app, established plans to introduce image generation features after the statement was condemned by its user base. Other companies, such as drawing tablet maker Wacom and Magic: The Gathering owner Wizards of the Coast, have also apologized for (inadvertently) using AI-generated assets in their products following similar backlash from the community.

Even AdAdobe has come under fire from those who believe the company has reneged on its promise to try to build generative AI tools in a more "ethical" way, repeatedly saying its Firefly model is based on licensed software or training on content not protected by copyright. Adobe further clarified that it will not train artificial intelligence on user content in June after an update to the service agreement sparked backlash, but other negative changes introduced over the years have made it a company that creators love to hate and are untouchable reputation.

In comparison, Procreate is very popular. The company has stuck with a $12.99 one-time purchase model rather than moving to rolling subscriptions like Adobe and Clip Studio Paint, and has expanded to offer products for animation and (eventually) desktop users. For creatives who feel the alternatives are dwindling, such a firm commitment to the adoption of generative artificial intelligence may just be the icing on the cake. "We don't know exactly where this story will go or how it will end, but we believe we are on the right track to support human creativity," Cuda said.