Theme park AI concern

[CoasterBroCam]

Now, before reading, please note that I’m not a doomer and it’s not the end of the world, but I’m just really worried about the future of six flags and ai. I really hope they don’t just resort to using it for merch and logos in the future. I hope they hear the backlash and stop this shit, but knowing the idiots in chief, I’m not getting my hopes up. Thought?
If you see any AI merch, Do. Not. Buy. It.

 

[warfelg]

I said it about a month ago in another thread on this stuff. But theme parks have set up the no win. Go and don’t buy merch? Well then they justify using AI. Go and buy merch? They will say AI designs is what we want.

The only (and best) outcome here is spend heavily when things are hand made, older stuff that has designer made logos.

I know that’s a tough ask and find but it’s our way forward.

 

[Coaster_Merrick]

Now, before reading, please note that I’m not a doomer and it’s not the end of the world, but I’m just really worried about the future of six flags and ai. I really hope they don’t just resort to using it for merch and logos in the future. I hope they hear the backlash and stop this shit, but knowing the idiots in chief, I’m not getting my hopes up. Thought?
If you see any AI merch, Do. Not. Buy. It.

TELL THE PARKS THAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO USE AI
Call them out on social media, DM their official accounts, leave poor reviews specifically noting AI, whatever it takes to get them to notice!

 

[Mushroom]

I hate the AI slop designs that have been popping up as much as the next guy, but let’s not pretend Six Flags’ pre-AI-era designs were some hand-drawn labors of love either. I’ve seen so many designs at KD over the past decade and a half that were obviously just barely modified templates, reskins of other parks’ merch, or basic “designs” mass produced by a third party vendor.

Is this concern that they’re not employing as many real artists? That ship sailed forever ago whenever they started just plastering park names and stats across random clip art and stock elements.

Also, out of curiosity, does this sentiment extend to uses of AI in other contexts, like if they use AI to help code a webpage or retouch an Instagram photo?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty skeptical of AI myself, but when I see folks telling me to change my behavior in protest of something, I think it’s important to really understand what I’m being asked to protest.

 

[warfelg]

Also, out of curiosity, does this sentiment extend to uses of AI in other contexts, like if they use AI to help code a webpage or retouch an Instagram photo?

I can only speak for myself saying this but I distinguish in what I personally draw the line at is assist vs replace.

In cases like you pointed out, you still need someone in a role whose job it is to do that. Especially if you use AI to help code - you still need someone who checks the work, inserts it, alpha and beta tests it. With the touch up for insta, you still need someone taking the picture, knows framing, rule of thirds, knows how to use photoshop version of AI, publishes to social media and writes a caption.

You point out a good thing though that AI permeates so much of our life these days it’s just impossible to hard blanket “no AI”. So we all need to draw lines. And frankly we’re all going to have different lines. And that’s ok to have IMO.

This reaches outside the theme park scope but I feel like we’re going to see a turn back soon to hiring subject matter experts who will use AI in limited roles to aid in their job though. In many cases the use of AI is actually costing more than the people they are using it to replace:

https://www.inc.com/joe-procopio/ai-is-now-more-expensive-than-the-mass-layoff-human-labor-its-replacing/91356134

I feel as though we’re still 5-10 years and the bubble pop (like the dotcom pop) where we figure out what the balance looks like and gets done.

 

[bill s]

My filter for merch to interest me is quite narrow as it is. If something made with AI gets through, so be it.