DC Comics declares it will never use generative AI (www.avclub.com)

At New York Comic Con, DC Comics president Jim Lee announced a firm corporate policy: the publisher “will not support AI-generated storytelling or artwork — not now, not ever,” reaffirming the stance with SVP/GM Anne DePies in tow. The declaration, met with cheers, frames the decision as protection of “human creativity,” explicitly rejecting the use of generative AI tools for creating comic scripts, character art, or finished visuals. The move is significant for the AI/ML and creative industries because it signals a major content owner choosing exclusion over experimentation amid ongoing debates about training data, copyright, and artist livelihoods. Technically, the policy targets generative models that synthesize text and images (large language models and image synthesis systems), which have been trained on scraped art and prose—raising legal and ethical concerns. For the industry, DC’s stance may influence publisher norms, artist contracts, and supply-chain tooling (e.g., limiting use of AI for concepting, inking, coloring, or automated layouts). However, enforcement and edge cases remain unclear—whether ancillary AI-assisted workflows (upscaling, color correction, script aids) are covered—and the decision contrasts with other media companies experimenting with AI, shaping an ongoing tug-of-war between rapid generative innovation and protecting creator rights.