i already deleted this post once.
it was originally a reply to ZBYToshiro, but since many has the same point about AI, here's my two cents.
i'm not trying to convince everyone, nor change your opinion.
i just hope this opens up a new perspective
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to add more rationale that could give you more ease of mind why developers use AI
it could just be time and effort required to hire artists?
you'll have to look for one, get into their queue, COMMUNICATE, make sure both parties consent to commercial use (important btw, i've seen traps intentional or not, that after the art is done, clients only realize it cant be used commercially because of artist tos somewhere), wait days for their drafts/sketch, communicate revisions, wait weeks for finished work.
all that when you can download install and start generating with stable diffusion in 1 hour, or use online tools right off the bat.
for long term: more communication, build rapport with artist, always trying to squeeze into the same artist's availability, and for extremely long projects, maybe even style consistency. you add a potential EXTERNAL bottleneck in your pipeline. you'll have to schedule releases and even your own tasks based on the artist's timing, something you have very little control over except for setting deadlines (or maybe through slots).
when using AI, the art pipeline, while now relegated to your own task list, can be done in your own time, work on it whenever you feel like it, and can freely move it in your own schedule. and considering AI takes less time, the fact its now your own time does not hurt as much, it may even be just be equal time required to coordinate with the aritst, which you have to do anyways.
we've recently discussed something in a discord server about learning to draw yourself versus just using AI. i've been through both, trying to draw by hand (even claimed to aim to hand-draw a game in the past), and now learning to create via AI.
there is no objective judgement you can tell someone to do this instead of that. some people have better creative parts of brain than logical/technical side. some people have the opposite, some have mix of both, and even throw in some genetic talent how good your eye and hand is. if you're a dev, i say make your own judgement for yourself what floats your boat, whats easier for you, which one is faster in the workflow you're comfortable in, which one fits your budget.
this is only scratching the surface from what i know about commissions btw.
in my case, i commission real creators for voice, and we're lucky enough there are sites like
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that streamlines this process.
i'm just giving more input on what affects the decision other than money, and laziness.
while i do agree, and observe, some devs are subject to money and laziness
i'm not saying no AI artist is greedy or lazy, nor do i justify them.
again, just open your perspectives on why SOME may opt to use AI instead of alternatives.
the question now is, okay, you generated the AI CG, why don't you put more effort into post-processing?
yes! legitimate question, and this part of the process will be more subject to the laziness question.
less effort on post-processing = more slop. i can't answer for every AI developer.
but maybe this is still subject to their skill issue. hire photoshoppers? same with artist dilemma.
git gud? they should! maybe some just aren't that artistic?
i'm just showing that there are many questions to ask, rather than dismiss them all as greed and laziness.