08/29/2026
Hello 👋
It's Christine, the artist behind Rhubarb & Honey.
You may (or may not) recognize my name from me commenting on multiple posts on Facebook asking local businesses to consider stopping the usage of generative AI.
In all of my commenting, I've been told I'm scared to use a self checkout, that I'll be left behind, that I'm racist, that I don't want to see anything nice happening in the town, etc.
All I want is this - PLEASE consider not using generative AI. PLEASE.
I have been an artist my entire life, so yes, I am passionate about this issue. I have only ever asked kindly. And trust me! I'm asking EVERYONE. With good results, as a couple businesses I've commented on have made changes!
It is not the customers job to complete the marketing for a company. It's not an artist's job to jump in and offer free marketing for a company. A small business must still take care of their marketing. Marketing your business is a HUGE part of having one, and it is not up to concerned customers or artists to take up that role FOR FREE. This is simply one aspect of running a business, and it's an awfully important one, so if you are reading this and thinking 'make a poster for them', I'm not an employee of that business. They should have an employee in place that takes care of the marketing (even small businesses).
Generative AI steals from artists. HUMANS make art. Gen AI steals this art, chops it up like a bad Slap Chop and pastes it together like a toddler with their eyes closed. What may be a time saver for the business, is a slap in the face to any artistically minded potential customers. And this is just one facet of the many, many issues that stem from gen AI.
If you are considering asking businesses/groups in town to stop using generative AI, please go about it with kindness. I have been doing this very peacefully now for a few weeks (scrolling through and commenting kindly) and while it's great to have support, I never intended for this momentum to turn nasty.
Please consider not using generative AI for your marketing. Please consider being kind. Please don't stop supporting small local businesses.
❤️
