The Graphic Artists Guild is closely monitoring advancements in generative AI, advocating for guardrails to protect artists and for compensation for the use of their works in machine learning, developing ethical standards, and informing graphic artists on how to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. Below we’ve linked to our position statement, videos and podcasts of events we’ve participated in, and other articles. Check back as we update this page.
May, 2023: Guild Advocacy Liaison Rebecca Blake joined artist and AI critic Steven Zapata in a talk moderated by Professor Russ Altman at Stanford HAI symposium: Creativity in the Age of AI: Artist Perspectives on AI, Copyright, & Future of Work.
April, 2023: Viktor Koen, chair of the Comics and Illustration departments at SVA, moderated the Professional Development panel featuring Guild Advocacy Liaison Rebecca Blake, author and graphic novelist Carson Grubaugh, and illustrator Tim O’Brien.
March, 2023: The Guild participated in the North American panel, moderated by Rachel Meinerding of Concept Artists Association and joined by artist Greg Hopwood and artists’ advocate Neil Turkewitz.
The Graphic Artists Guild has launched the “No Artists, No Art” campaign to highlight the need to protect artists’ rights in the generative AI ecosystem....
03 February, 2026 The Graphic Artists Guild has endorsed the California bill AB-412, introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. The legislation seeks to increase transparency around the use of copyrighted materials to train generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). It requires model developers to provide copyright owners a means by which they could be informed on whether and how their copyrighted works were used for training. The bill also authorizes copyright holders to bring a civil action against developers who fail to respond to a duly submitted request. In our letter to CA Senate Judiciary Chair, the Guild wrote: “... GenAI is replacing graphic artists in the marketplace, and is doing so by utilizing their artwork – without permission or compensation – for the machine learning required for GenAI image generators to function. Graphic artists need to know when their copyrighted artwork has been utilized for machine learning. Passing this legislation will be groundbreaking and essential for providing artists the information they need to pursue credit and compensation for the use of their copyrighted works.”...
11 July, 2025 The Graphic Artists Guild Advocacy Liaison, Delanie West visited the School of Visual Arts (SVA) to tell the students of Professor Carol R. Steinberg about essential topics such as non-disclosure agreements, contract negotiations, and understanding royalty rates. This talk .....
23 February, 2024 The court decision affirms the Copyright Office's position that only works authored by human beings can be copyrighted....
05 September, 2023 The Guild position on AI generative technology is grounded on the fundamental rights of artists: credit, consent, and compensation....
17 June, 2023 The Campaign supports interests of creators in the face of the rapid advancement of AI generative technologies. ...
17 March, 2023 The Guild is partnering with Concept Art Association, National Cartoonists Society, Society of Illustrators, and Australian Cartoonists Association in producing the AI/ML Media Summit on March 10th....
24 February, 2023 The Guild is pushing for the best means to further the interests of artists: through policies, education, and advocacy within our community and with the players, including artists, who will shape the future of AI image generators. ...
10 January, 2023 The Graphic Artists Guild has issued a statement of concern to the IFRRO General Assembly on AI image generators, and the detrimental impact this technology is having on graphic artists....
26 October, 2022Guild webinars are FREE to members. To view a webinar, log into Member Central and go to the webinar page.
Non-members may purchase the link to view the webinar.
In March, 2023, the Guild is partnered with Concept Art Association, the Society of Illustrators, the National Cartoonists Society, and the Australian Cartoonists Association in producing a free, one-day conference on artificial intelligence generators and their impact on creators. The AI/ML Media Advocacy Summit featured panels from different disciplines (visual artists, writers, photographers, musicians, and voice actors) and regions (US, UK, European Union, Latin America, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and Japan), as well as an introduction to the issues, panel discussion on AI ethics, and a keynote address by illustrator Steven Zapata.
