Artists from around the world are fighting back against AI-generated doll images flooding social media. According to BBC, these artists have started the #StarterPackNoAI movement in early April 2025 to protect their work and creativity. They believe AI art threatens their jobs and doesn’t have the personal touch that human art offers.
What Are AI-Generated Doll Images?
AI-generated doll images are digital pictures of dolls or action figures made by computer programs like ChatGPT or DALL-E. To create these images:
- Users upload a photo of themselves
- They add text instructions about what they want (style, accessories, packaging)
- The AI program, which has learned from millions of other images, creates a doll version within minutes
These AI doll images became very popular on social media in 2025. However, many artists worry about privacy issues and environmental harm from the computer power needed to make these images.
The #StarterPackNoAI Movement
The #StarterPackNoAI movement began in early April 2025 when French illustrator Patouret first posted about it on Instagram. Since then, it has spread quickly on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
Several artists are leading this movement, including:
- Nick Lavellee, who makes custom action figures in Manchester, New Hampshire
- Maria Picassó Piquer, an artist
- Dav le Dessineux, an illustrator from Bordeaux, France
- Eli Dibitonto, an artist from Barletta, Italy
- Evie Joyce, an illustrator and student
How Artists Are Protesting
Instead of using AI, these artists are creating hand-drawn self-portraits and sharing them with the hashtag #StarterPackNoAI. They want to show that human art has personality and comes from real experience – something they believe AI cannot copy.
Henk van Ess, a global AI research expert, calls AI doll trends “technological waste” and supports the artists’ movement.
Why Artists Are Concerned About AI Art
Artists have several big worries about AI-generated images:
- AI might be using their original artwork without permission to learn how to create new images
- Companies and people might choose cheaper, faster AI art instead of hiring human artists
- The special creativity that comes from human experience is being lost
- AI art often looks similar and lacks unique style
Threats to Artists’ Livelihoods
The problem is serious for artists trying to make a living. Surveys from 2024 show that 60% of creative workers have lost income because of AI. This happens in several ways:
- AI creates cheap alternatives to human art very quickly
- Fewer people want to pay for human-created art
- Artists get fewer jobs and commissions
- Their work is often used without permission to train AI systems
This situation affects artists in India too, where many freelance illustrators and designers could lose work worth thousands of rupees (₹) if clients switch to AI-generated images.
Human Creativity vs. AI-Generated Art
Artists in the #StarterPackNoAI movement point out big differences between human art and AI art:
The Emotional Element Missing in AI Art
- Human art comes from real feelings, personal stories, and deep thinking
- Human artists create truly new ideas with cultural meaning
- AI only copies and mixes existing art it has seen before
- AI doesn’t understand emotions or have real creative ideas
- Studies show people connect emotionally with human art 22% more than with AI art
“AI art lacks soul,” says Dav le Dessineux from France. “When I draw, I put my whole life experience into each line. A machine can’t do that.”
Many of these artists believe that while AI can create images that look nice, it misses the special human touch that makes art meaningful and unique.
The #StarterPackNoAI movement isn’t just about protecting jobs – it’s about saving the human element in art. As more AI tools appear, these artists are working together to show why human creativity still matters in our digital world. They hope their stand will help people understand the value of art made by real people with real stories to tell.
