San Diego Comic-Con, the massive comics-centered convention that has become a downtown summer tradition, has quietly changed its policy on AI art following a backlash from its artists.
Previously, the rules for the Comic-Con Art Show — which have been in place since at least 2024 — said that AI-generated art was acceptable to display, but was not permitted for sale.
“Material produced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) may be placed in the show, but only as Not-For-Sale (NFS). It must be clearly marked as AI-produced, not simply listed as a print. If one of the parameters in its creation was something similar to ‘Done in the style of <specific artist>,’ that information must be added to the description. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability,” the guidelines previously said.
Now, however, they say: “Material created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) either partially or wholly, is not allowed in the art show. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability.”
Artists and exhibitors lauded the decision.
AI image generators are trained on original artworks, meaning they base “generated art” on an amalgamation of pre-existing artworks, which are taken without regard for licensing or compensation. Their use is becoming increasingly controversial.
Last year, con attendees noted that many of the pieces on display, both at the Art Show and at Artists Alley, seemed to have AI components.
The SDCC Art show is displayed offsite at the nearby Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel. It requires no entry badge to browse or buy arts, and it is open to submissions of original work from both professional and amateur artists. It also displays nominees for the Eisner Awards.
