Press Release || Preventing an AI Generated Visual Future
Published on 18/07/2023
Pictured: Astound US Inc UK Manager, Rosie Barlow (left) and Global Manager Kate Powell (right).
Press Release:
Illustration Agencies on Forefront of Protections
Against an AI Generated Visual Future
London, New York, LA & Singapore: ITSme Society Agencies announced their new Protection Against AI clause.
All of the ITSme Society illustration agencies have now implemented a brand new clause into their publishing contracts to protect the rights of illustrators’ original illustrations against reproduction and/or otherwise use of their works in any manner for purposes of training and Artificial Intelligence/ML models.
These agencies include international illustration agencies Astound US Inc, Advocate Art, Yeon Agency, Artistique Int, and Illo agency. Based everywhere from New York to London, LA to Singapore, these agencies represent the illustrators of continual best selling and celebrity titles (including illustrating Mariah Carey, Sir Lenny Henry, Ant & Dec, Julie Andrews, the Dalai Lama and many more), and also work regularly with all the Big 5 publishers. The agencies’ goal is to be at the forefront of protections in the fight against an AI generated visual future.
The clause states that the illustrator must give prior consent to permit the client/publisher to use technologies that are capable of generating works in the same style or genre as their work. Our aim is to get ahead of these advancing technologies and to protect the artists and their artwork against the use of AI/ML models.
The clause pertains to all represented illustrators work, in hopes to help secure the economic future of illustrators, and individual artistic voices across the industry. Getting ahead to preserve the ability to have individual humans create new aesthetics, with their own unique visions, is of the utmost importance as we venture into an AI focused future.
Other News
Secrets from the Talent Scouts
Featured illustration by Maria Teresa Palladino. Submitting your work to an illustration agency can feel daunting, especially when you are unsure what happens once you press send. After reviewing a large number of applications, we have gathered a few simple tips to help your submission feel thoughtful, personal and memorable Make it Personal We love…
What Do Agents Look For? Insights From Three Recent Signings
Finding the right agency for you goes far beyond simply being signed. It’s about finding a place where your work can grow, where you can collaborate with great clients on projects that truly resonate with you, and where you can build a sustainable income out of what you love. At ITSme, we help illustrators find…
How to Build an Illustration Portfolio Without Client Work
“I don’t have any client work, what do I even put in my portfolio?” This is one of the more common worries we hear from illustrators who are new to developing their portfolios, but we want to encourage you to reframe this question: Having no client work isn’t a weakness, try to view this as…
Are There Snakes in Your Folio? How to Spot Them Before an Art Buyer Does
What to include in an illustrator portfolio and how to spot snakes! (In the children’s publishing and decorative market) Art directors scan agency portfolios and websites rapidly. They are mentally processing the acquisitions list they’re looking to fulfil, remembering what the rights team said sells well in a particular market, and giving serious artistic consideration…
How to Get Your Illustration Work Seen
Are you an illustrator looking for open calls and opportunities? The work is out there, and you are not invisible, although sometimes in such a competitive environment, we understand it is natural to worry that you are going unseen. The fact is, you just need to know where to look and how to show up…
Why Graphic Novels Are Booming – and Why Now Is the Time to Get Them Into Your Portfolio
Graphic novels are having a moment and it’s no passing trend. From classrooms to bestseller lists, graphic novels are dominating shelves and reading time across all ages. What was once seen as a niche format with a distinct, heavy-lined “comic book” aesthetic has exploded into a dynamic, expressive medium that spans every style and genre…
