On Sunday, Procreate, the company behind the popular illustration and animation apps for iOS, promised not to introduce generative AI features into its software programs, citing the fact that the technology is “based on theft.”
The announcement was widely celebrated in the creative community and stands in contrast to other creative software makers who have rushed to integrate AI features into their programs.
Procreate has released a statement on its website explaining its decision to support creativity that is “made, not created.” The statement reads:
Generative AI strips the humanity out of things. The technology is based on theft and is steering us towards a bleak future. We think machine learning is a compelling technology with many benefits, but the path generative AI is taking is the wrong one for us.
We are here for the people. We are not chasing technology that poses a moral threat to our greatest jewel: human creativity. In this technological onslaught, this could make us an exception or put us at risk of being left behind. But we see this path less traveled as the more exciting and fruitful one for our community.
In an accompanying video on social media, Procreate CEO James Cuda made his point even clearer, telling users, “I really hate generative AI. I don’t like what’s happening in the industry and I don’t like what it’s doing to artists.” Check out his comments below:
We’ll never get that far. Creativity is made, not produced.
You can find out more at https://t.co/9Fgh460KVu ✨ #witnesses #noart pic.twitter.com/AnLVPgWzl3— Procreate (@Procreate) 18 August 2024
Last year, Procreate introduced Procreate Dreams, a new animation app to complement its flagship illustration app, Procreate. The company is currently developing a desktop version of its Procreate app.
