AI Startup Artisan Accused of Stealing 'This Is Fine' Meme Comic for Ad Campaign
Artist KC Green says his work was used without permission, calling it 'stolen like AI steals'
Quick Look
- AI startup Artisan is accused of stealing KC Green's iconic 'This is fine' webcomic for a subway advertisement promoting its AI BDR 'Ava.' Green, who created the meme in his 2013 'Gunshow' comic, said he agreed to nothing and called on people to 'vandalize' the ad.
- Artisan says it respects Green and will reach out directly.
- This follows Artisan's previous controversial 'Stop hiring humans' billboards.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The 'This is fine' meme features a dog sitting in a burning room saying 'This is fine.' It became one of the most enduring memes of the past decade, appearing in TV shows, merchandise, and countless social media posts. KC Green has previously monetized the comic through a game but has no control over unauthorized commercial uses.
You've seen this comic before: An anthropomorphic dog sits smiling, surrounded by flames, and says, "This is fine." It's become one of the most durable memes of the past decade, and now AI startup Artisan seems to have incorporated it into an ad campaign — an ad for which KC Green, the artist who created the comic, said his art was stolen. A Bluesky post seems to show an ad in a subway station featuring Green's art, except the dog says, "[M]y pipeline is on fire," and an overlaid message urges passersby to "Hire Ava the AI BDR." Quoting that post, Green said he's "been getting more folks telling me about this" and that "it's not anything [I] agreed to." Instead, he said the ad has "been stolen like AI steals," and he told followers to "please vandalize it if and when you see it." When TechCrunch sent Artisan an email asking about the ad, the company said, "We have a lot of respect for KC Green and his work, and we're reaching out to him directly." In a follow-up email, the company said it had scheduled time to speak with him. Artisan has courted controversy with its ads before, specifically with billboards urging businesses to "Stop hiring humans" — although founder and CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack insisted that the message was about "a category of work," not "humans at large." "This is fine" first appeared in Green's webcomic "Gunshow" in 2013, and while he hasn't disavowed the smiling-melting dog entirely (he recently turned the comic into a game), it's clearly escaped from his control. And of course, Green is far from the only artist to see his meme-able art used in ways he finds objectionable. But some artists have still taken action when their art is monetized or used in commercial ways without their permission, for example when cartoonist Matt Furie sued right-wing conspiracy theory site Infowars for using his character Pepe the Frog in a poster. (Furie and Infowars eventually settled.) Green told TechCrunch via email that he will be "looking into [legal] representation, as I feel I have to." Still, he said it "takes the wind out of my sails" that he has to take "time out of my life to try my hand at the American court system instead of putting that back into what I am passionate about, which is drawing comics and stories." Green added, "These no-thought A.I. losers aren't untouchable and memes just don't come out of thin air."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
KC Green will pursue legal action against Artisan for copyright infringement
Very likely · Within weeks
Artisan will likely reach a settlement or modify their campaign
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific legal action will KC Green take?
- Will Artisan remove the advertisement?
- How did Artisan obtain or create the modified image?
- Will this lead to broader discussions about AI and copyright?
