Procreate Defends Human Creativity, Rejects Generative AI

Popular iPad design app Procreate is coming out against generative AI, and has vowed never to introduce generative AI features into its products. The company said on its website that although machine learning is a “compelling technology with a lot of merit,” the current path that generative AI is on is wrong for its platform. 

Procreate goes on to say that it’s not chasing a technology that is a threat to human creativity, even though this may make the company “seem at risk of being left behind.”

Procreate CEO James Cuda released an even stronger statement against the technology in a video posted to X on Monday. 

“I really f****** hate generative AI,” Cuda said in the video. “I don’t like what’s happening in the industry, and I don’t like what it’s doing to artists. We’re not going to be introducing any generative AI into our products. Our products are always designed and developed with the idea that a human will be creating something.”

The company’s stance has attracted widespread praise from digital artists online, many of whom are unhappy with the way other digital art and illustration apps have embraced the technology. 

If you’re ever wondering whether to use photoshop or procreate just remember this

Adobe (Photoshop)
> Overpriced monthly subscription
> Generative AI features you can’t remove

Procreate
> One time purchase
> “I really f**king hate generative AI” – Procreate CEO https://t.co/RXAOKoYMVU

— David Toons (@DavidToons_) August 19, 2024

For instance, illustration app Clip Studio Paint walked back its plans to release an image generator tool after facing backlash from its user base back in 2022. 

Adobe, which arguably has the most popular suite of design tools, has released several generative AI features into its products. In addition, Adobe recently came under fire after its updated terms of service seemed to imply that it would train AI models on users’ content. The company later had to clarify that it doesn’t train AI models on customers’ content. 

At a time when digital art platforms are embracing AI left and right, it’s interesting to see a popular app go against the crowd. Given that Procreate’s announcement has led to significant praise from artists and designers, it will be interesting to see if other companies follow suit.

“We don’t exactly know where this story is going to go, how it ends. But, we believe that we’re on the right path, supporting human creativity,” Cuda said.