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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Artists face AI suspicion, demand for proof erodes creativity

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Artists are increasingly facing suspicion and accusations of using AI for their work, even after proving they created it manually.
  • This trend is causing distress and undermining the efforts of creators who produce original art.
  • The lack of clear standards for AI use in creative fields is fueling these doubts and creating a difficult environment for artists.

Illustrators and artists are finding themselves in a frustrating predicament, frequently needing to defend the authenticity of their work against accusations of AI generation. Eun Hwan, an illustrator, recently received an email from an event organizer questioning if her submitted artwork was AI-generated, prompting her to provide proof of her manual creation process. "I found it difficult to understand why I had to explain that I drew my work myself," she stated, expressing the feeling that her years of effort were being invalidated.

I found it difficult to understand why I had to explain that I drew my work myself.

— Eun HwanAn illustrator who was asked to prove her work was not AI-generated.

This issue is not isolated to South Korea. A survey by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun in Japan found that 24% of creators reported being asked by clients to either prohibit AI use or provide certification of non-use. Webtoon artist Sangsang-eo shared similar experiences, recounting how a reader commented "That's AI" on a piece with a slight perspective error, prompting him to reveal his sketches. "It's disheartening because mistakes are inevitable when a person is working, but then other parts are also assumed to be AI-generated," he said.

It's disheartening because mistakes are inevitable when a person is working, but then other parts are also assumed to be AI-generated.

— Sangsang-eoA webtoon artist describing the frustration of being suspected of using AI.

Proving that a work was not created with AI is proving difficult. Artists often share time-lapse videos or work-in-progress footage, but skeptics remain unconvinced. "Even if I show a time-lapse, people who are suspicious are not satisfied," said a seven-year illustration artist identified only as 'A'. "They demand live broadcasts of the work process, continuing to find fault." This constant scrutiny leaves artists feeling vulnerable, with Eun Hwan worrying that her future works might be permanently tagged with "AI suspicion."

Even if I show a time-lapse, people who are suspicious are not satisfied. They demand live broadcasts of the work process, continuing to find fault.

— Artist 'A'An illustrator detailing the difficulty of satisfying skeptics about AI usage.

The root of this problem, according to industry observers, lies in the absence of clear guidelines for AI-generated content. While some AI development laws mandate usage labels for companies, individual creators are not covered. The debate over appropriate AI usage in creative processes is ongoing, leaving artists to navigate a landscape of doubt. Ha Jang-ho, a policy committee member at Culture Solidarity, noted that the lack of established standards shifts the burden onto individual artists' conscience and their ability to provide explanations, rather than addressing the broader issue of AI as a creative tool.

The lack of clear standards or discussions on how to view AI as a tool for creation means that AI usage is being reduced solely to the issue of an individual creator's conscience or explanation.

— Ha Jang-hoA policy committee member at Culture Solidarity, commenting on the regulatory vacuum surrounding AI in art.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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