Procreate Fires Back at Canva & Adobe as CEO Shuts Down AI Concerns

Procreate, the popular art app for iPad, has made a statement against the use of generative artificial intelligence. This is in contrast to the growing trend of software companies adopting the technology.

During a video released on X/Twitter, Procreate CEO James Cuda was direct in delivering the announcement:

“I have a strong dislike for generative AI.”

We’re never going there.

— Procreate (@Procreate) August 18, 2024

The video effectively dispels any worries that Procreate would utilize AI within the app. The main concerns of artists center around the potential use of their work to train an AI model.

The same sentiments are expressed by Procreate, which can be seen on its website.

The technology, which was developed through theft, is leading us toward an empty and bleak future.

Despite this, the company emphasizes the difference between generative AI and machine learning. Both require large amounts of data, but machine learning can also help to streamline complex tasks and reduce tedium.

Procreate emphasizes its commitment to privacy. However, using generative AI training would require sharing more of your data, potentially compromising some of your privacy.

AI Image Generation Causes Copyright Headaches

After facing criticism, Adobe was called into question for its updated AI policy. Despite backtracking following the backlash, the company had initially planned to collect data on all content produced using Photoshop.

Some artists have brought up the concern that this could potentially disrupt projects that are protected from public access due to non-disclosure agreements.

The creators of image generators such as Stable Diffusion suffered a major setback on August 13 when a crucial court ruling favored the copyright claims of the artists involved. The presiding judge has given the green light for these claims to move forward.

Nvidia is also facing a lawsuit after a 404 Media investigation uncovered that the graphics card company had been illegally collecting “80 years a day”of material from various sources. Additionally, it was discovered that Nvidia had intentions of utilizing Netflix for training purposes without obtaining proper permission.

Canva, the free image and slideshow tool, has recently incorporated generative AI into their features. With their “Magic Studio”section, Canva has taken great care to inform users that their data will not be utilized. According to their website, the company clarifies that users must actively choose to participate in the training process.

Artists are delighted with Procreate’s stance

There is a lot of optimism among those who utilize these types of programs on a daily basis.

“Cass Zebboudj expresses satisfaction at being respected as an artist by the software developers for once, stating that they are speaking nothing but the truth. They also bring up the Adobe controversy as further evidence of this sentiment.”

The inclusion of an image generator was also attempted by Clip Studio, as mentioned by the authors.

Ella Kidd, another student, appears excited about the news, stating: “I am pleased that Procreate has made clear their position on AI “art”(using quotations because it is not truly art).”

“They remarked, ‘It’s reassuring to see that at least one software is truly attentive to its customers.’”

Despite this, Ella remains hopeful that Procreate will carry out their AI plan.

Matilda Loynds also shares the same sentiment, stating, “I’m relieved to hear that they are against it.”Loynds’ concerns stem from the use of generative AI by various art-focused tech companies, such as Wacom in January.

“Using AI in art, as seen in products like Wacom, is somewhat distasteful as it goes against the essence of what art is meant to be.”

Procreate CEO James Cuda concludes the announcement video by expressing, “Although we cannot predict the outcome of this journey or its conclusion, we have full faith that we are headed in the right direction by nurturing human creativity.”