New York Comic Con attendees heard a firm commitment from DC Comics' top executive on Saturday: the publisher will not embrace generative AI for its creative output. Jim Lee, who serves as president and publisher, told the audience that the company will "not support AI-generated storytelling or artwork," adding that this stance will hold "not now, not ever, as long as Anne DePies and I are in charge." DePies is the company's senior vice president and general manager.
Lee's comments, reported by The Verge, were met with cheers from the crowd, a sign of growing unease among comic fans about the spread of AI tools in the industry. He framed the issue in terms of authenticity, saying, "People have an instinctive reaction to what feels authentic. We recoil from what feels fake. That's why human creativity matters."
The executive also took aim at the technology's limitations. "AI doesn't dream," he argued. "It doesn't feel. It doesn't make art. It aggregates it." His remarks stand in contrast to the enthusiasm shown by some Hollywood studios and investors, who have been eager to deploy generative AI despite early technical and legal headaches.
The comic book world has not been immune to AI's encroachment. Just a month before Lee's statement, a hologram of the late Stan Lee, the legendary Marvel creator, was presented at Los Angeles Comic Con using AI technology, drawing criticism from fans and professionals alike.
Artists See a Needed Signal
Lee's declaration resonated with many creators who have long warned that AI threatens their livelihoods. However, some observers urged caution. Comic artist Evan Dorkin, in a social media post, noted that Lee's comments "in no way guarantee anything," pointing out that corporate leadership can change. "No one knows what the future of AI is and no one knows who will be in charge at DC Comics down the line," he wrote. Still, Dorkin added, "I think it's important that a popular artist publicly shot AI down. Fans and artists ignorant of or using AI need to hear this."
Lee also touched on what makes DC's characters distinctive. "Anyone can draw a cape," he said. "Anyone can write a hero. That's been around as long as comics have been. It's called fanfiction, and there's nothing wrong with fanfiction." He then added, "But Superman only feels right when he's in the DC universe. Our universe, our mythos. That's what endures. That's what will carry us into the next century."
The pledge from DC, one of the oldest and largest comic publishers, could influence how other companies approach AI, though it remains to be seen whether the policy will outlast its current leadership. For now, the message from the stage at NYCC was clear: human hands and minds will continue to shape DC's stories.
