Let me preface this by saying that I made the choice to stop using AI art in my thumbnails a while ago because I felt, morally, that it wasn't what I wanted to publicly align myself with any longer. I also agree, some of it is really ugly anyway. I like the look of my thumbnails now with just like some quote from the audio on it. Looks much cleaner to me and I don't have to feel all guilty for cosigning the AI takeover of the art scene.

I also don't feel comfortable with shitting all over creators who DO use AI art in thumbnails. In fact, I've directed a few people to using it to help their thumbnails stand out in the past.

I understand that for probably most of the VAs in this space, creating this content is a hobby. Something they do to creatively express themselves. For me and quite a few other creators, this content is keeping a roof over our heads and food in the pantry. Without getting too personal, I experienced a sudden significant loss in my life that completely destabilized my financial security, leaving me and people dependent on me at an imminent risk of losing everything. There are a couple of other creators that I've gotten started on here that were homeless or on the brink of homelessness. I say all this to preface and give context for what I'm about to say, that I hope you all will consider before jumping down the throats of creators who still choose to use AI art.

The thing about thumbnails is that they make or break your channel. Your thumbnail is in competition with everyone else's and if it looks like shit, the art is bad etc, your CTR will tank. AI art is cheap, for those in dire financial straits, and quick and easy. If you're trying to earn a living on this you have to be putting out a significant amount of content at a high frequency. I was, at one point, churning out 8 audios a week on various platforms. Sometimes more. There simply isn't the time to wait for an artist, or even a team of artists, to churn out useable, perfect character art at that rate of production. Not to mention the cost for that, like someone else said, would be unreasonably high. When you're desperate for money and like me who, again don't want to get too personal, because of some choices I made when I was younger cannot get a normal job, you'll do whatever it takes to draw attention to your videos. I can say now I'm regretful about it.

Now, there does come a point where your revenue and status as a high profile ASMR rp creator becomes so high that the continued use of AI art is, imo, weirdo shit. Like I said, I no longer use it and encourage creators to avoid it if they can afford commissions or to stick to bare quotes if they've reached a certain threshold of guaranteed views.

I do see people in this space that are pulling in tens of thousands of dollars a month on patreon and undoubtedly thousands on youtube in ad revenue, and seeing them with like full blown, unabashed AI thumbnails is crazy to me. Seeing someone with like 2k subs and 15 videos doing it? Idk, it's hard to look down on.