Humans only! This website invites artists to animate anti-AI disclaimers for everyone to use

Ori Peer is a Montreal-based filmmaker, 3D animator and artist – and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t make you aware of it! He’s the mind behind the art project This Film Was Made Without AI, a collaborative, interactive multi-media exhibition for human-made disclaimers that are designed to let viewers know that what they’re about to watch is untouched by generative models. How many times have you heard somebody ask “is this AI?” – or even asked yourself that question? These types of disclaimers will only become more important as AI imagery accelerates, and vanity cards that ensure human creativity will become as commonplace as an age rating or trigger warning.

The idea for the project first arose at Vancouver film festival. “Someone tried to cancel my screening, accusing my 3D film of being AI-generated. Fortunately, I recorded my 3D process,” says Ori. “This is a fairly new question that’s being asked, and we must adapt to this new reality and ensure our audience that our work is human-made. I created this community project to support creators facing similar challenges and to promote the values of rejecting AI in art.”

In response to this near-cancellation, Ori created an open call for artists to create their own disclaimers. The template was set: two green angels saying “this film was made without AI” – and the rest is history. The website itself is a collage of aesthetic styles from over 100 artists. Some of them have recreated the anti-AI mascot angels using felt, paper and paint, while others have done away with the angels completely, opting for 3D faces flying with propeller hats or winged, smoking frogs. Some of the disclaimers even feature making-of videos alongside them, time-lapses that show the entire process, whether it’s inside of Photoshop or hand-drawn at a desk.

“Generative AI scrapes people’s art, harms the environment and drains away the fun and meaning behind creation,” says Ori, which is what makes this website feel all the more art-punk, where animated banners show every seam of the art-making process, embracing pixellations, roughness and even the most primitive art styles. The site accommodates the “imperfect, human journey” of art over the streamlined, data-proven sterility of generative models.

As Ori is developing his animated feature film 40k Daddy, he finds this public-domain website to be a source of inspiration. “I felt nostalgic when a 14-year-old UK-based filmmaker contacted me saying seeing others unite inspired him to keep going. This is everyone’s project. It’s not about shouting, but rather about chanting together,” says Ori. “Creatives today need hope and purpose. This project inspired many to pick up a pencil (or mouse) and create. If society isn’t giving us the opportunity, we’ll make one ourselves.”