A Statement from Roni

Founder, Laureli Artists

STATEMENT ON AI, LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS, AND MEDIA GENERATION

For immediate release

Laureli Artists was founded to combat AI forgery and the unauthorised use of artists’ performances and likenesses. We also recognised the potential benefits for artists in “fighting fire with fire” by creating their own digital personas—owned by them, possibly via blockchain technology—under an exclusive rights smart contract with Laureli Artists for future work. In essence, a better deal, one that helps protect their enduring digital legacy.

The times are changing rapidly. As artists and advocates for artists, we must adapt as the environment evolves. Regarding the use of AI, we're adapting.

We acknowledge our apparent “mixed messaging.” It’s time to clarify: advances in AI, large language models, and rapid image generation are growing exponentially. I personally believe that opposing this inevitable evolution is now detrimental to an artist’s livelihood and, therefore, their well-being. Instead, we must work *with* it, ensuring the artist's voice and vision remain central.

Moving forward, Laureli Artists Modelling (LAM) will embrace unique, emerging digital talent and become a stronger force in the industry. We aim to cultivate and promote balance among our conflicted creators—those against AI and those for it. There’s space for all types of art, and a critical need to ensure that the artist's spiritual and creative essence is respected in its digital forms.

Don’t let the advent of new technology defeat you. We transitioned from silent films and shellac records to talkies and vinyl; from heavy, bulky cameras, expensive film development, and complex editing to 4K 120fps cameras accessible to all; and so on. Just as those technologies preserved artists' work for future generations, today's digital tools create lasting, high-quality legacies that must be carefully guarded.

We will always find a way to survive if we choose to persevere.

So choose to persevere in your own way, and respect the decisions your fellow artists make. Artists of all expressions and creeds deserve to thrive—united—regardless of their tools. More often than not, it’s the quality of their work that matters most, and ensuring that quality, along with their inherent spirit, is preserved in their digital legacy.

Roni