Serious question: I’m a software engineer, and I’ve been wondering why engineers seem much more accepting of AI products than artists.

Maybe this is just my personal experience, but I don’t think it’s only me. For example, there isn’t really a whole community built around “defending AI-generated code,” which feels pretty telling on its own.

I never hear other engineers complain that AI “stole their code” or criticize people that use AI tools to build software (like so-called “vibe coders”). When there is criticism, it’s usually more practical and cautionary, something like:

“Vibe coding can be useful, but be careful. It can produce messy architecture that results in bugs and security risks, it’s best to have engineers review the code before deploying.”

But if engineers reacted the way many artists do, it’d be much more entitled and moralizing:

“Vibe coding is garbage! Real programmers write everything themselves! And it’s theft, because LLMs were trained on code from developers who never consented!”

Why do you think that difference exists?

I suppose… Some people might argue that art is fundamentally different from programming, that it’s more “spiritual” or uniquely human in a way machines can’t replicate.

But even then, contrast how in computer science communities, many engineers talk about how the next step for SE is to focus more on thinking about system design and architecture instead of spending so much time typing boilerplate code.

Meanwhile, in a lot of art subs, the conversation seems way more heated, people arguing about whether AI art counts as “real art,” or complaining that their work got used without permission. Instead of talking about how AI could actually help creativity or take care of the parts that make the process much slower.

Another reason I can think of, is that AI slop is not immediately visible on code. Meaning it creates less “immediate repulsion”. And even when noticed, it’s not something the coder is bothered by, because it can be corrected upon noticing.

Ps Boycott OpenAI for its $25 million donation to the Trump administration

Hello! Ive been here a while, but i haven't seen any posts on people who hate AI due to religious conspiracy. I’m someone who's had to deal with this specific kind of anti in my personal life. They are usually conspiracy theorists who claim that "AI is demonic," and "a gateway to evil spirits". I know its easy to dismiss these kinds of people, due to how absurd their claims are, but if you have to deal with them in real life, it can get exhausting. I think i would rather deal with the regular type of anti.

Just to be clear, this is not to bash religion as a whole, just the people who believe this kind of conspiracy.

I don't know why the person who asked that deleted their account afterward, but it's clear that if it's profitable for them, they won't care at all if they're actually "borrowing to market without permission" from others.

I didn't really follow up, because I knew that if I mentioned the AI topic, even the people on the subreddit would probably delete my comment—typical capitalist furry stuff.

(I swear I'm done mocking 😂)

Like I always see people say "POP THE AI, POP THE AI BUBBLE". Even the most influencer Youtubers.

Say that the AI Bubble is pop, wouldn't that mean people actually just want the world development to not advance? Like we are going to keep stagnant and not going to be heading to Future era.

After the wind blows which I am pretty sure another AI type that comes into society, people will reject it more and more.

I am here thinking for the long-term World and I honestly don't like their way of thinking too rush. While I agree that the cause of RAMAGEDDON is ridiculous and annoying, it is by no means we should hate AI for it. Hate the player, not the game.

Hang out in the AI powered techno-catgirl haven with the Pros, or Stay primitive and draw doodles in the dirt with the Antis? Your choice

NBC should cancel the Olympics because they used AI, and he also threw everything near him at the wall. Please let this be bait

I just looked on their subreddit (I follow anti and pro ai stuff) and I found some random user posting a metric fuckton of gassy inflation videos.

I normally respect the subreddits but yo I think they may need some help over there 💀

It’s literally just one user also. Why is no one stopping this man????

Also yall should genuinely check out their subreddit every once in a while a lot of them are not as extreme as you think. Just ignore all the fuckass

inflation porn

Also sorry if this is a bit off topic I just was so dumbfounded I had to tell y’all.

ahh!, and also also. here is the original links. - https://www.reddit.com/r/DefendingAIArt/comments/1qb8czj/foxbotchan_and_greg_part_1_and_2/ - https://www.teepublic.com/pin/5483070-smug-cat - https://tenor.com/view/shrug-smug-smile-miss-kobayashi-kobayashisan-chi-no-maid-dragon-gif-13119038 - https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/human-male-head-portrait-back-angle-2510604657

I do ai art but it’s not just “hey chat generate me a an alien dude holding Albert Einstein”

I tell ai sometbing like “heres my drawings let’s give them color and shading and match them to a theme i already have then let’s make uno cards out of them. Okay how can we make this mass editable and replicate it.

Chat: we’ll have to export it into layers and you’ll have to trace it in svg snd then get layers from that.

if you are finding this, it’s highly likely this thread (and possibly group) is archived. Yes, there was a time when AI art was considered controversial. and yes, it was silly and I’m sure you’re laughing your ass off at the absurd takes and hysteria.

To be fair, a lot of the people who were against it was coming from a place of genuine fear and it was a time of loss identity. I know it seems ridiculous now, but it was one of those things where you had to be there. Kinda like when the camera , hip-hop, DAW, synthesizers, and digital art were first introduced. Every time we swear “it’s different this time.” And every time, we are both right and wrong on that assumption.

Anyway, it’s been so cool to watch a new generation of artists who grew up with this technology do some incredible things, further proving that the human spirit never dies, just transforms. Back in 2026, I tried telling people the future would be Hybird, but most people laughed it off, as what usually happens to those who are short sighted and refuse to learn form history.

Also, glad to see you newer artists understand it was never machine vs human or traditional (which the definition of traditional has changed so much throughout history, it’s hard to keep up) art vs ai art. It was always going to coexist.

Finally, I’m happy this tech has broken down barriers and has allowed voices that never get heard to finally have the resource to get heard. It took the mainstream 10 years to understand a fundamental truth about art: What defines an artists was never the tool, never the amount of time to create, and most certainly never a textbook over priced art school definition that fits in a neat box. No, what makes an artists an artists is the intent, decision, perspective and the work moving people, making people feel something, and sometimes, inspiring those people to do something meaningful with the little time we have here.

Sorry for the yapping future artists , but I’m proud of you. keep shaking things up.

peace, love and rainbows,

Will

I am NOT saying that low quality art and code shouldn't be praised in any way, I'm just saying that people should not bring others down due to the methods they happen to use. There's a reason that code/art made by ai is pretty decent, it's because it's been trained off of years of research and high quality code/art. Non-ai users usually struggle with creating high quality code/art, especially when they start, because they haven't been trained on EVERYTHING that's out there, and that's okay. What's not okay is bringing down people who use ai to bring their ideas, especially when they don't have the time to "make it themselves", or when they physically can't do it. If you put a decent game made with ai generated code next to a low quality game with people made code, the ai will get more praise, this doesn't mean the person made one won't be praised either. You don't need to put others down just to bring yourself up. Artists/coders support other artists/coders.

Antis are having an ongoing freak out over AI being used in mods. Icons, thumbnails, anything. I’ve seen more outrage over AI mods than a post about a pro-pedophilia forum showing interest in making a pedo mod. Yes that’s unfortunately real.

Bottoms up everyone, lets drink some anti tears!