In a post-scarcity solarpunk future, I could imagine some reasonable uses, but that’s not the world we’re living in yet.
AI art has already poisoned the creative environment. I commissioned an artist for my latest solarpunk novel, and they used AI without telling me. I had to scrap that illustration. Then the next person I tried to hire claimed they could do the work without AI but in fact they could not.
All that is to say, fuck generative AI and fuck capitalism!
You come across as anti-tech out of spite. Yes, generative AI is snake oil, but that is a question of scope and power and speculation, not utility of easy to create pictures.
I am so happy with the vast amount of free art available these days. As a blogger, it's easier than ever to find a free topical picture.
You realize you're next on the AI chopping block, right?
Most are crap ad mills anyways trying to game SEO. Only interesting ones I've read in the past couple years are technical deep dives where the creators don't even care to put ads on it.
You're absolutely right, which is why Orcrist here shouldn't be encouraging the use of AI.