Are you sick of AI? This iOS design app has pledged to never introduce it

In the world of software development, every company seems to want to inject artificial intelligence (AI) into its offerings. For some, that’s great because AI can really bring serious decision-making power into the mix. 

For others, however, AI is not the boon it’s being made out to be. This is especially true for the creative types (such as myself). I’ve been an author for decades, and to date, I’ve never been as concerned as I am about AI taking over the creative endeavors that have defined me for so long. That’s why, when a company that produces an app geared toward creative types and pledges they will never introduce AI, I take notice.

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This time around, the app in question is called Procreate, which is an illustration app for iPad OS.

In an official statement, James Cuda, Procreate’s CEO, claims the company is never going there and that creativity is made, not generated. Cuda goes so far as to say, “Generative AI is ripping the humanity out of things. Built on a foundation of theft, the technology is steering us toward a barren future. We think machine learning is a compelling technology with a lot of merit, but the path generative AI is on is wrong for us.”

He’s not wrong.

He also posted a video to X, where he clearly states his opinion on generative AI.

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To Cuda, I say “bravo.” More companies need to follow Procreate’s lead on this subject; otherwise, AI will drain the heart and soul of creative work.

Because of its stance on AI, users have applauded Procreate. This sketch, paint, and create app is only $12.99, which means the company hasn’t followed the lead of other app developers and switched to a subscription-based model. The app does include plenty of features to make it a compelling buy, such as Animation Assist, plenty of pencil filters, ColorDrop for easy palette switching, QuickShape to help you get perfect shapes in real time, and more.

The one thing you won’t find… generative AI to help you cut creative corners.