- Creators and online platforms are increasingly banning AI content, labeling their websites as AI-free zones to protect their work from being used for model training.
- Platforms like Cara in Seattle and Not By AI in Philadelphia are leading the charge, providing tools and campaigns to certify human-created work.
- “I waited and waited for ArtStation to revise their stance,” said Jingna Zhang, founder of Cara, in a blog post. “If they won’t act, I will create an alternative.”
Discover how platforms are combating AI-generated content and protecting human creativity with innovative solutions like Cara and Not By AI.
Rising Against AI: The Emergence of Anti-AI Platforms
With the growing concern over AI scraping and misuse, platforms such as Cara and Not By AI are stepping up to provide safe havens for human-created art and content. Seattle-based Cara, launched by artist Jingna Zhang in October 2023, stands as a stronghold against websites like DeviantArt and ArtStation, which have permitted the use of generative AI to create images.
Cara’s Commitment to Protecting Artists
Cara has incorporated several features to ensure the protection of its users’ work. According to the Cara FAQ, the platform automatically tags all uploaded images with a “NoAI” label, which signals scraping bots to avoid collecting these images. Zhang emphasized the urgent need for a discussion platform that also educates its users while safeguarding their creations from unauthorized AI use.
Not By AI: Certifying Human-Made Content
Philadelphia-based Not By AI is another initiative designed to help artists and creators certify that their work is predominantly human-made. Offering subscription-based badges, Not By AI allows users to showcase that at least 90% of the content on their sites is created without generative AI. This certification helps build trust with audiences while enabling creators to maintain their artistic integrity.
Challenges and Partnerships
Both platforms face significant challenges in this fight against AI misuse. While Cara relies on an unnamed third party to detect AI-generated images, it acknowledges the practical limitations of fully protecting publicly visible content from unethical AI scraping. To further this effort, Cara has partnered with the SAND Lab, which is developing the Glaze project to disrupt AI model training through subtle, imperceptible alterations to digital images.
The Legal and Financial Struggles
The fight against AI misuse isn’t just technical; it’s also legal and financial. For instance, Cara experienced rapid growth, boasting nearly 900,000 users, which led to server overloads and financial stress from high service provider bills. Despite these challenges, platforms like Cara and Not By AI are determined to create environments where artists can thrive without the fear of their work being co-opted by AI.
Conclusion
As AI technology advances, the tension between generative AI and human creativity intensifies. Platforms like Cara and Not By AI are at the forefront, providing essential tools and certifications to protect human-created content. While the battle against AI misuse is far from over, these initiatives represent a significant step towards ensuring that artists and creators retain control over their work. The future of digital artistry may well depend on such resilient efforts to preserve human ingenuity against the backdrop of rapidly evolving AI capabilities.
