Raw LLM Responses

Hi! That's me in the photo at the Bell Booth AI protest. I organized and worked with artist and guests to stage the demonstration at the Bell AI photobooth. I was also an artist at the con. I can tell you right now that 25% number is vastly over inflated - Now Toronto quoted that percentage from one outraged tiktok video who was lumping in artist alley with vendor booths in the north building (where that other inked samurai print was bought) I did hear there was a lot of AI in the vendors area in the north and south building but the artist alley definitely goes through a few more application filters and the co-ordinators try their best to keep AI out. Having said that you are absolutely correct about FanExpo not having a strong or really any anti-AI policy. They believe it's too hard to police and so they bascially do their best during applications process and then react to try to investigate if someone is accused. I have since pointed out to them that part of the reason people were assuming the AI content was so high in artist alley is because people are struggling to tell the difference (as you pointed out) and when there's no strong policy they will assume it is AI - so artists are being hurt from both sides - loosing sales/tables to AI scammers and then also loosing sales when their art is assumed to be AI because attendees can't discern the difference. When I brought up the irony of having the huge Bell installation right next to the artist alley they basically shrugged and told me that was corperate and that they wouldn't say no to Bell's money. This is when I escalated and organized the protest. I have been in communication with them about this since the protest and plan to continue to demand a policy change. So far Galaxy Con has put out a massive PR statement saying they are banning all AI from both their artist alley and vendor and corporate booths - this has added pressure for both Reed Pop and Informa (who do all the fanexpo shows) to do the same but it seems the wheels are turning slowly. I encourage any artists or attendees to email their local conventions and ask them to create a strong policy against AI so that attendees and feel safe and artists can be protective from these kinds of AI scams.