It hopes other businesses will join in with the ban

American Bar Belfast(Image: Google)

A popular Belfast bar has announced that it is boycotting AI on its premises and hopes other businesses will join them.

The American Bar in Sailortown has taken to social media to make “a small PSA” about a decision that it has made to stop using “AI produced hard copy material” or post AI generated content online.

It has said that while it understands the “cost effective nature” of using AI generated advertising, it will only be using ones that have been created by a human and hopes that other businesses will join them in their campaign to support artists and creatives.

It said: “Just a small PSA. As of this week have made the decision to boycott the use of AI in our premises.”The detriment that AI use has on the environment is well documented, but additionally AI when used in the design of promotional material and artwork constitutes a very real threat to the livelihood of artists and those working in the creative industries.”As a business, we deeply value the work of local artists and are joining a host of other local independent businesses and artists in boycotting the use of AI as an act of solidarity with those artists and creatives most acutely affected by this burgeoning, deeply damaging technology.”As a result, we will no longer allow the use of AI produced hard copy material in the premises of any kind and will not share AI generated content through our social media platforms. We work every week with a host of independent promoters, event organisers and community groups, and although we understand the cost effective nature of, in particular, AI generated advertising materials, The American will no longer assist in the sharing of these materials.”We deeply value the promoters and event organisers that call the American Bar home and hope that we can continue to work together to bring music, comedy and community events to Sailortown.”It is our hope that other businesses will do the same because let’s face it, even a shoddily made poster cobbled together by the most inexperienced and computer shy of designers holds within it infinitely more creative value and interesting perspective than anything shat out the backside of Elon Musk’s dystopian anti imagination machines.”Death to the Technocracy.”

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