‘This is fine’ creator says AI startup stole his art

The beloved comic featuring a smiling dog surrounded by flames, famously captioned with, "This is fine," has become a cultural phenomenon. However, a recent incident involving AI startup Artisan has sparked outrage from its creator, KC Green, who claims his work has been misappropriated. An advertisement spotted in a subway station appears to feature Green's art, but with a twist: the dog now says, "[M]y pipeline is on fire," alongside a call to action to "Hire Ava the AI BDR." Green took to Bluesky to express his discontent, stating that this use of his artwork was unauthorized and described it as theft, akin to how AI operates. He urged his followers to take action against the ad by vandalizing it if they come across it. In response to inquiries from TechCrunch, Artisan acknowledged Green's contributions and expressed a desire to connect with him directly. The company later confirmed it had arranged a conversation with the artist. Artisan has previously faced criticism for its provocative marketing strategies, including billboards that controversially suggested businesses should "Stop hiring humans." Despite the backlash, founder and CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack clarified that the intent was to address specific job categories rather than disparage human workers as a whole. Green's comic, which debuted in his web series "Gunshow" in 2013, has seen widespread adaptation, and while he has embraced some of its transformations—such as turning it into a game—he has expressed frustration over the lack of control he has over its commercialization. He is not alone in this struggle; many artists have found their work exploited without permission. For instance, cartoonist Matt Furie took legal action against Infowars for unauthorized use of his character, Pepe the Frog, ultimately reaching a settlement. In light of this incident, Green has indicated that he is considering seeking legal representation, lamenting the distraction from his true passion: creating comics and stories. He pointed out that the emergence of memes is not a random phenomenon and that artists deserve recognition and respect for their creations.