KC Green, the creator of the iconic "This is fine" comic, has accused AI startup Artisan of stealing his artwork for a subway advertisement. The ad, which replaces the dog's original caption with "[M]y pipeline is on fire" and urges commuters to "Hire Ava the AI BDR," was spotted in a station and shared on Bluesky.
Green responded on the platform, stating that he had not consented to the use of his art and described the act as "stolen like AI steals." He encouraged followers to vandalize the ad if they encounter it.
Artisan, known for previous controversial billboards telling businesses to "Stop hiring humans," initially told TechCrunch they "have a lot of respect" for Green and were reaching out to him directly. In a follow-up, they confirmed they had scheduled a conversation with the artist.
The "This is fine" meme originated from Green's webcomic "Gunshow" in 2013 and has since become a widely recognized symbol for coping with chaos. Green, who has since turned the comic into a game, joins a growing list of creators who feel their work has been appropriated without permission by AI companies.