AI Art Controversy Sparks Police Call at FanExpo

The Spark of Controversy An AI Booth at FanExpo

This past weekend at FanExpo Canada in Toronto, telecommunications giant Bell Canada set up a prominent booth featuring a free A.I. generated portrait service. Attendees could have their photo taken and transformed into a stylized portrait by an AI, a novelty that quickly drew criticism from the event's creative community.

The presence of the AI booth was seen by many artists and fans as a direct insult to the human creators showcasing their work nearby. The central arguments against the booth were twofold: first, that the AI models were likely trained on countless images scraped from the internet without artists' consent, essentially using "stolen" work. Second, it created unfair competition for the professional artists in the convention's Artists Alley, many of whom offer commissioned portraits and sketches as a primary source of income.

One attendee voiced their frustration, stating, "I think it's really disgusting of Fan Expo to allow AI 'art' to be sold. There is an entire booth near the pizza pizza in the north building that is all AI-generated. As well as the Bell booth takes your photo and uses an AI filter to edit your photo. It's insulting to the artists who put time and effort into their art pieces."

Bell Photo Booth at FanExpo Canada, YouTube screencap

Artists Take a Stand

As frustration mounted, a group of attending comic book creators, illustrators, and other artists organized a protest directly at the Bell booth. The demonstration aimed to raise awareness about the ethical issues surrounding generative AI and its impact on creative professionals.

Among the protestors was Aaron Reynolds, the creator behind the popular Effin' Birds webcomics and related books. As the demonstration grew, the situation escalated to the point that the police were called to the scene to manage the situation.

A Surprisingly Calm Resolution

Despite the involvement of law enforcement, the encounter was handled with unexpected calm and reason. Reynolds later praised the officer's conduct on social media, highlighting a uniquely Canadian resolution to the conflict.

"Honestly, the police officer was the best and most reasonable person in the entire thing," Reynolds posted. "He understood the issue, asked what we wanted, told us what the show wanted, and brokered us a trade where most people would disperse if he let us talk to the manager of the booth."

The officer's mediation allowed the artists to voice their concerns directly to the booth's management, de-escalating the tension without incident.

The Aftermath and Unanswered Questions

As of now, neither FanExpo Canada nor Bell has released an official statement regarding the controversy or their decision to feature AI-generated art at the event. The incident has since become a significant talking point online, highlighting the growing conflict between the rapid advancement of AI technology and the rights and livelihoods of human artists.