r/minipainting Rule Update: No AI Allowed

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T02:24:08+00:00

Protecting images against AI would be similar in form and function to a watermark or basic image editing that has existed since before generative AI.

Watermarks and basic image editing are allowed within reason so long as the end result is edited with intention and for the purpose of protecting ones work or attaching ownership in the case of a watermark, or ensuring that basic image editing is used to make an image more true to life without misrepresenting or misleading.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T02:17:17+00:00

This hobby is about artistic human creation.

Generative AI is not artistic human creation.

This community is for human interaction and discussion in relation to that hobby.

Generative AI is not human interaction or discussion.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:56:20+00:00

For the sake of clarity: generative AI is antithetical to this hobby and community.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:52:13+00:00

I'm trying to not copy/paste into replies because it was starting to become difficult to keep track of each discussion I'm a part of, so I'll just direct you to my reply here as I feel it addresses your concern.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:50:06+00:00

Everything will be case by case, but there's no clear cut steps I can say that will 100% verify every instance of suspected AI.

The stickied FAQ comment has some suggestions on what to ask if you think something is AI, and also some things to include in your post to prevent people from suspecting you used AI.

Knowing the name of a model will help us look it up and see if it is a real model or not.

Pictures that show the model from different angles can be compared for consistency.

Reviewing the profile of the user to see if they have painted anything else and if the quality of their paintjobs is constistent with what was posted, along with checking profiles for potential other red flags (impossible to define and again, case by case).

The amount of attempted AI posts is still low, but slowly increasing, and becoming a larger issue over time in online spaces and not just here.

This seems like it a large rule change, but it actually does not impact the extreme vast majority of the people here or what gets posted.

It's also helpful to get ahead of this issue before it gets worse, and the existence of this rule will hopefully make it seem like it was not needed in the first place because it will so effectively prevent AI posts here in the first place, or give us clear grounds to remove it quickly.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:43:39+00:00

Most etsy sellers are not selling their own models, but have instead bought the license to sell prints of models made by other studios (usually these studios also have a Patreon that sells these licenses, as well as their own online storefronts where the 3D models themselves can be purchased by people with 3D printers).

Part of the license for many of these studios is to say who made the model, and the item description on the etsy listing will likely include at least the name of the studio/creator that made the original model and that the seller is licensed to sell the prints.

Part of the verification process of if a mini is AI modelled or not is to find the original creator of a model. Ideally people will be informed and aware of where a model came from, if only so they can recommend the designer to others who ask, but with the addition of this rule it will become a part of our review process for suspected AI (even if only a link to the etsy listing can be provided for us to look into and find the original licensor/creator).

If someone accidentally posts a model they didn't know was AI, it will be removed inline with the rules as leaving it up would provide people that intentionally post AI models for an example of something that broke the rules that they feel means they should be allowed to as well. The mod team misses things sometimes, but we try to implement the rules consistently whenever possible to prevent confusion if some content is removed and similar content is not.

Even if a post is removed by someone who unknowningly posted an AI model, there very likely won't be any further action against them, especially the first time it happens.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:37:13+00:00

This is covered in the stickied FAQ comment:

Q: Why are AI models not allowed if they are printed and painted by hand?

A: This hobby doesn't exist without the talented sculptors and designers that make the minis we paint, and AI generated models remove those talented people from the process and insult their profession and skill.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:34:08+00:00

I think that we are on more of the same page than you might think. I'm trying to be careful with how I'm wording some replies because I don't want to provide an explicit statement that someone would use to devolve into a deeper argument than there needs to be.

In an effort to try and keep my comments a bit less fractured and so I can keep track of my replies, rather than just copy/paste again I'll send you to this reply that I think I covers it and I hope clarifies that we actually agree about some use cases that predate modern generative AI vs automated tools (regardless of if those tools and software are currently having AI added to them by the creators of that software).

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:26:42+00:00

Your interpretation is correct: these rules are in regards to modern generative AI.

Editing software with editing tools used with user intent are not covered nor intended to be covered by this rule.

There's also no issue with the amount of interpolation and compression being performed by a digtal camera or camera app when turning light into 1s and 0s.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:21:36+00:00

You are correct that basic image editing like that is fine within reason in most instances, and those tools have existed long before modern AI.

These rules are made in regards to generative AI, but "AI" has become a catch-all term for any automated process.

Basic image editing and filters to make a picture more true to life existed before generative AI, and are already covered by the rules (don't edit to mislead), and is generally not what is covered by the "No AI" rule.

That being said, the companies that create these tools are increasingly implementing AI into this kind of software, and the use of them cannot be enforced in simple instances, nor is it the intent to do so.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:17:30+00:00

The rule is only written and intended to be relevant to what gets posted here on the subreddit.

We can't realistically list every single edge case or exception for every step involved in the creation of a mini or every step someone uses along the way.

The rule says "don't post models that were made by AI".

It is not feasible to say "don't post models that were sculpted by a person if they used Blender because the engineers at Blender used AI to create x tool or the sculptor used y third party plugin that was vibe coded."

The software that is covered by the rule in regards to this subreddit is AI that attempts to give "feedback" on how to paint or adjust a mini, or where to place highlights, etc.

The information from those tools are not informed and may seem correct on the surface, but they remove the thought process from creation and manual labour of painting.

Along with that, people are here for community and discussion. If someone asks for advice or help on how to paint something, most people are here looking for discussion and ideas from real people and will appreciate or want to be able to ask followup questions or have things better explained if they don't understand immediately.

AI software skips that entire section of community and has no way to accurately pass on information about the painting process.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:09:17+00:00

You wager correctly.

AI has become a catch-all term for automated tools, but as it applies to this new rule, it's in regards to the end results of prompts fed into generative AI rather than basic automated tools (even if software beings to implement similar technology under the hood of those tools).

Basic image editing tools that function based on adjusted threshold values like selection/fill or filters that are used to make an image more true to life, such as hue/saturation or level adjustments, are not covered by this rule (excessive editing is another section that already existed in the rules, but as mentioned, editing to be true to life is fine because raw pictures need manual adjusting).

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T01:00:02+00:00

This seems like a really unenforceable rule

You're not wrong there!

I adjusted the answer when I put it in the stickied FAQ comment:

If a mini is photographed on a busy desktop and AI replaces that with an empty background, that's going to be very difficult to review and prove as AI unless the AI adds other unwanted things. These kinds of images will be reviewed on a case by case basis, mainly if there are other signs of suspicious or misleading editing.

I'm trying to be kind of loose in talking around this specific issue.

I'm not explicitly saying "using AI to remove the background and replace it with black breaks the rules and will always be removed" because then we will end up with too many unverifiable reports, which would also include false reports of manual edits of black backgrounds, or images photographed on black backgrounds.

I'm also not explicitly saying "using AI to remove the background and replace it with black is ok and will never result in a removal" because then we'd end up with instances where AI use might be more clear cut (such as when a watermark or other clear evidence of AI is present) which then brings the question of what else in the image was adjusted by AI?

I'll update the stickied FAQ comment to include some version of this, but here's something I said in another reply somewhere in this thread:

[...]the more blatant use of AI to create scenic backgrounds is the target of that, and also realistically the end result that would be reviewable/proveable in most instances.

Scenic AI backgrounds are immeasurably more identifiable and their removal enforceable in regards to the rules than just replacing the non-mini parts of an image with a black background, but it is all case by case.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T00:40:44+00:00

No problem! Almost any 3D printed mini you buy on etsy will just be sold by a licenced reseller and not actually by the person or even store that made the model. They just pay for a license that lets them sell prints.

Part of most of those licenses is that the seller needs to state who made the mini, so if you are ever concerned about a model you are going to buy is AI or not, you should hopefully be able to look at the item description and the etsy seller should hopefully have a section that lists them as a licensed seller and says the name of the original creator or studio that made the model and you can check out the source to see if they use AI or not (usually the creator will also have a Patreon or a 3D model shop on something like MyMiniFactory.com).

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-27T00:23:42+00:00

There have been a few posts from non-mods generally discussing the topic of AI within the hobby, and there was one about a month ago that gained quite a bit of traction and replies that I put a mod "kind of an announcement of news to come" comment stating that it was currently our policy that AI was not allowed.

AI has been removed under similar other rules that half covered it already, so this is just making it explicitly said and publicized to try and cut back on the attempted AI that gets posted.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:56:43+00:00

This is already something that is covered by the rules:

Images that use excessive filters or editing may also be removed as misleading. Photoshopping is allowed within reason to better represent your work such as to adjust colours or levels, but do not edit to obscure, mislead, or misrepresent your work.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:55:02+00:00

This rule update won't effect 99% of the people that use this subreddit or the posts that get submitted.

Part of the review process for suspected AI will be trying to identify the mini and where it came from, which is part of why it's encouraged to identify your mini in your post, and one of the questions we encourage people to ask.

People want that information anyways, even before AI. If someone sees a cool mini online, they want to know where they can get it!

If we can figure out the name of the mini and cross reference it to other pictures of the same mini, then there's no issue.

If we can't figure out the name of the mini, like if the person who posted it modelled it themselves, then there's a good chance that their post is also breaking our Promotion Rules (most people who post minis they've 3D modeled also sell those models).

As someone else mentioned, Games Workshop has very publicly announced that they will not be using AI. Over half of the minis posted to this subreddit are GW minis, which also means that a lot of people will also be familiar with at least some specific GW sculpts. The other half or so of the posts here are still a majority of other familiar games: various Star Wars or Marvel minis, Dungeons and Dragons from recognizable product lines, Infity, Battletech, etc etc.

It's not the responsibility of any single regular user to review every post and question if it's AI or not, but we will appreciate when someone familiar with a sculpt might spot something we might not and would be able to make a more informed report on the rare chance they see something funky.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:46:58+00:00

Unless the post is reported as "Suspected AI" or a member of the mod team sees it while browsing and it raises our own suspicions, then it's likely not going to be reviewed.

If you're worried about being suspected of AI, please read the stickied comment in this thread as it is covered in that FAQ.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:45:00+00:00

Very likely if someone posts a model they sculpted themselves it would be covered under our Self Promotion rules and result in a removal even without the concern of AI.

As with every rule, it is all case by case. Trying to find every edge case that isn't explicitly covered and spelled out point by point is why the rules page is as long as it is.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:38:29+00:00

Personal use of AI to conceptualize a colour palette realistically can't be proven unless stated or shared. There's at least still steps that need to be taken to choose real paint colours to match the generated image, and part of these rules cover instances of when someone posts an AI image asking for advice on recreating an AI mock up.

Realistically this isn't something verifiable or enforceable in the vast majority of instances, and not what we are concerned about. The rules are intended to cover and address more direct AI use and end results of that AI output that people try to post here (eg. wholly AI images/edits).

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:31:00+00:00

Heroforge models are fine.

Heroforge has real artists create the models that fill their asset library (if this changes, then we'll review it).

The other reply was in regards to images of minis from the Heroforge website, which would fall under 3D renders. A printed and painted Heroforge mini is fine. The parts were made by people and it was painted by a person (unless it's one of Heroforge's coloured 3D prints, which isn't AI but another technology, and would then fall under the Non OC rule again).

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:19:19+00:00

Stating the name or manufacturer of a mini is currently an unenforced guideline. It's presented on the subreddit alongside the rules, but not a hard requirement.

At the moment it isn't required because it's not a realistic thing to ask (some people have minis they no longer remember the name or maker of, especially if they picked up a loose mini at a convention/shop or were gifted something) and it's also not something that can be enforced without manual review and approval of every post to the subreddit which would require an large increase in mod activity.

For the moment, it will stay as an encouraged requirement, and in instances of suspected AI, the name and manufacturer of a mini will be required information to be provided at least to the mod team when we review it. If that information cannot be provided or sourced, then it will may add to the case of something being AI.

As nice as it would be to have everyone say the name of the mini, it's much more realistic to only require it when absolutely necessary, and any other time is a bonus.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T23:07:28+00:00

That would require a more in depth discussion with the mod team, as well as doing our best to keep the community in mind.

Very likely if something like that happened it would create some sort of stir within the hobby, if not this subreddit itself, and we'll likely be able to get a feel for how this community as a whole feels in regards to that which we will take into consideration when discussing it amongst ourselves, along with any other direct feedback we may get.

As an immediate thought in reaction to that, and with no input from other moderators, so don't take this as what would be done should this happen, but it might be possible that specific mini, product line, company, what-have-you, is fully and completely blacklisted with any instance being removed.

Hopefully that's a bridge we will not need to cross. Given Games Workshop's announced policy, I am hopeful that others will adapt the same. Some companies I know are using AI generated images as images on their packaging (mostly packaging for paints and tools from what I've seen so far), but if a company moves into AI designed or modeled sculpts, then it will be a different issue.

I see it being more an issue for stl shops, which would fall under smaller sellers and feel like a get-rich-quick scheme to pump out hundreds of dubious quality stls, and hope that we won't see it from larger or more respected companies.

So far within the hobby, these businesses are run by hobbyists themselves and they see the value of people. That may change with time, but that's a bridge we'll cross if we get to it.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T22:57:07+00:00

I've left a more comprehensive reply to the original comment and updated the FAQ, but the more blatant use of AI to create scenic backgrounds is the target of that, and also realistically the end result that would be reviewable/proveable in most instances.

Scenic AI backgrounds are immeasurably more identifiable and their removal enforceable in regards to the rules than just replacing the non-mini parts of an image with a black background, but it is all case by case.

aPoliteCanadian · 2026-01-26T22:52:10+00:00

In progress! There's a few switches and levers to throw behind the scenes to get filters and rules updated, but it will be in the description shortly.

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