AI-generated dolls spark backlash from traditional art community

The traditional art world is mounting a resistance against the latest AI trend that transforms personal photos into stylized doll images. As human artists struggle to compete with AI-generated content flooding social media feeds, tensions are rising between handmade craftsmanship and algorithmic imitation, sparking a broader conversation about creative labor, intellectual property, and the authentic value of art in an increasingly AI-saturated landscape.

The big picture: Artists who create handmade custom figures and illustrations are pushing back against AI-generated “starter pack” doll images that have gone viral across social media platforms.

• The trend, which began in April 2024, has prompted thousands of people to upload personal photos to AI platforms that transform them into stylized toy versions.
• Professional artists have launched a #StarterPackNoAI movement in response, highlighting concerns about AI’s impact on creative livelihoods and the devaluation of artistic labor.

Why this matters: The conflict represents the growing tension between traditional artistic creation and AI-generated content, with real economic consequences for working artists.

• Custom figure makers like Nick Lavellee, who sells handmade action figures for up to $250 each, worry their business models are threatened as AI-generated alternatives saturate the market.
• The issue extends beyond economic impact to questions of artistic authenticity, with artists arguing that AI lacks the personal connection and intentionality that defines human creation.

What they’re saying: Human creators emphasize that AI-generated art fundamentally lacks the soul and creativity of handmade work.

• “People are sick of them,” Nick Lavellee told the BBC about the AI doll images. “It’s an artistic aesthetic – AI-generated art diminishes that.”
• Maria Picassó Piquer, an artist featured in the article, noted that genuine artistic work involves “passion, effort, creativity and professionalism.”

Behind the numbers: Artists cite multiple concerns beyond just economic competition with the AI doll trend.

• Users uploading their photos to these AI services potentially expose themselves to privacy risks by sharing personal image data.
• The environmental impact of training and running AI models represents another criticism, with artists pointing to the significant energy consumption involved.

The bottom line: As AI-generated content becomes increasingly normalized, traditional artists face an existential challenge that goes beyond financial concerns to questions of creative value and authenticity.

• The #StarterPackNoAI movement represents one of many current battlefronts between human creators and algorithmic systems across the creative industries.
• The outcome of these conflicts could reshape how society values artistic labor and what constitutes “real” art in an AI-augmented world.