Posted in: Comics | Tagged: ai, san diego comic con, sdcc
After two years of no-one noticing, San Diego Comic-Con changes the A.I. policy of its art show and bans it
Article Summary
San Diego Comic-Con’s Art Show updates its policy to ban all AI-generated artwork after two years of leniency that no-one noticed until this past week
Previously, AI art was allowed if clearly labeled and not sold, but this sparked recent online backlash
Art Show Coordinator LaFrance Bragg holds the final judgement on questionable pieces submitted
Artists Alley already bans AI art, so increased scrutiny is expected from attendees and organizers in 2025
The San Diego Comic-Con Art Show is a dedicated exhibition and sales area for original artwork running during San Diego Comic-Con. It’s one of the longer-running but lower-key features of the event, separate from the main Exhibit Hall’s Artists’ Alley and focuses on gallery-style displays of fine art pieces inspired by comics, pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and related genres. It’s open to the public, no entry badge is required to enter and browse or buy art, and both professional and amateur artists submit original works like drawings, paintings, sculptures, jewellery, and other unique items for display and sale, and it typically takes place at the nearby Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel. In recent years, it has featured over a hundred artists with hundreds of items sold. It also displays nominees for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.
Last year, it was noted that a number of pieces on display and being sold appeared to be created using Generative AI. The show made its policy clear, stating “Material produced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be placed in the show, but only as Not-for-Sale (NFS). It must be clearly marked as AI-produced, not simply listed as a print. If one of the parameters in its creation was something similar to “Done in the style of” that information must be added to the description. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability.”
No one seemed to care about this policy for last year’s show in 2025, or the year before in 2024, even though the language for each year was the same.
Well, that didn’t last long. After the internet collectively kicked off, this was then updated to “Material created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) either partially or wholly, is not allowed in the art show. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability.”
That’s LaFrance Bragg, former mechanic and engineer, Supervisor at UC San Diego, Telecomunications Manager for the University of San Diego, prominent freemason for 65 years and who has been Art Show Coordinator at San Diego Comic-Con for 38 years, since 1988. Might he have a busier show than usual this year?
Artists Alley also has a no-A.I. policy for exhibitors at the show. Expect more eagle-eyed viewers amongst attendees this year…
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