Home'This is fine' creator accuses AI startup of stealing his art
You have probably seen this comic before: an anthropomorphic dog, smiling amid flames, says, “This is fine.”
This image has become one of the most enduring memes of the past decade. Now AI startup Artisan appears to have used it in an advertising campaign — one that KC Green, the comic's creator, says stole his artwork.
A Bluesky post appears to show a subway station ad featuring Green's art, but with the dog saying, “My pipeline is on fire,” and an overlay urging passersby to “Hire Ava the AI BDR.”
Quoting that post, Green said he has “been getting more folks telling me about this” and that “it’s not anything I agreed to.” Instead, he said the ad was “stolen like AI steals,” and he urged followers to “please vandalize it if and when you see it.”
I've been getting more folks telling me about this, and it's not anything I agreed to. It's been stolen like AI steals. Please vandalize it if and when you see it.
— KC Green (@kcg.bsky.social) 2026-05-03T04:23:08.217Z
When TechCrunch emailed Artisan about the ad, the company responded, “We have a lot of respect for KC Green and his work, and we’re reaching out to him directly.” In a follow-up email, Artisan said it had scheduled time to speak with him.
Artisan has previously stirred controversy with its ads, particularly billboards urging businesses to “Stop hiring humans” — though founder and CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack insisted the message referred to “a category of work,” not “humans at large.”
“This is fine” first appeared in Green's webcomic “Gunshow” in 2013. While he hasn't fully disavowed the smiling, melting dog (he recently turned the comic into a game), the meme has clearly escaped his control. And of course, Green is far from the only artist whose meme-worthy art has been used in ways they find objectionable.
Some artists have nevertheless taken action when their art is monetized or used commercially without permission. For instance, cartoonist Matt Furie sued the right-wing conspiracy theory site Infowars for using his character Pepe the Frog in a poster. (Furie and Infowars eventually settled.)
Green told TechCrunch via email that he will be “looking into legal representation, as I feel I have to.” Still, he said it “takes the wind out of my sails” that he must take “time out of my life to try my hand at the American court system instead of putting that back into what I am passionate about, which is drawing comics and stories.”
Green added, “These no-thought A.I. losers aren’t untouchable, and memes don’t just come out of thin air.”
Related article
Swedish AI Startup Lovable Eyes $13.2 Billion Valuation After Major Funding Round
As AI-driven coding tools gain traction, Swedish startup Lovable has secured a major funding round. The company aims to raise $3 billion, potentially boosting its valuation to $13.2 billion—double the $6.6 billion recorded last December. Menlo Ventur
Google Tests Remy AI Agent for Gemini as Focus Shifts to User Control
According to Business Insider, Google is testing Remy, a new AI personal agent for Gemini. This tool aims to execute tasks on behalf of users, streamlining both professional workflows and daily routines.Currently, Remy is undergoing testing in an int
How to fix Core Web Vitals for better SEO rankings
Streamline Report Card Comments with AI ToolsIntroductionAI Tools for Generating Report Card CommentsMagic SchoolAlmanac AIChat GPTUsing Magic School to Generate Report Card CommentsLogging into Magic SchoolSelecting the Report Card Comments ToolCust
Related Special Topic Recommendations
writing
Best AI Outline Generators for Long-Form SEO Articles
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Outline Generators for Long-Form SEO Articles, meticulously curated by XIX.AI. These powerful tools offer game-changing assistance in creating high-quality content quickly, boosting writing efficiency significantly. Get a free vs paid comparison along with real-world tests and detailed rankings to help you find the must-try option that suits your needs. Explore now to unlock your AI edge.
8 tools
xix.ai
Education and Learning
AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep
2026 Latest Best AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep! XIX.AI curates a top-rated list of powerful, game-changing tools that help students boost productivity, streamline homework completion, and ace exams through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison, detailed rankings, and must-try options to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
Music composition
AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hooks, Toplines, and Multilingual Draft Sessions
2026 Latest Best AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hook Creators, and Multi-Language Content Teams! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison data, comprehensive rankings, and must-try options to help you boost writing efficiency and unlock your creative potential. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for all your content needs!
9 tools
xix.ai
Business
Best AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, updated weekly with rigorous real-world tests and detailed rankings. You can find a comprehensive free vs paid comparison to help you identify the must-try tools that boost your productivity and give you a competitive edge. Explore now to discover your perfect tool!
9 tools
xix.ai
Image editing
Photoshop AI Retouch Tools for Ecommerce Apparel, Skin Cleanup, and Color Consistency
2026 Latest Best Photoshop AI retouch tools for ecommerce apparel, skin cleanup, and color consistency! This top-rated curated list features powerful game-changing solutions that help you boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and achieve perfect visual results effortlessly. Each tool has undergone real-world tests through weekly updated rankings, complete with free vs paid comparison details. Backed by XIX.AI, it’s the must-try guide for anyone aiming to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
Prompt
Best AI Prompt Libraries for ChatGPT Workflows
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Prompt Libraries for optimizing all types of ChatGPT workflows. XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection that goes through rigorous real-world tests to ensure top performance. You can find detailed free vs paid comparisons and expert rankings to help you choose the must-try tools that boost your productivity and unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
11 tools
xix.ai
Comments (0)
0/500
You have probably seen this comic before: an anthropomorphic dog, smiling amid flames, says, “This is fine.”
This image has become one of the most enduring memes of the past decade. Now AI startup Artisan appears to have used it in an advertising campaign — one that KC Green, the comic's creator, says stole his artwork.
A Bluesky post appears to show a subway station ad featuring Green's art, but with the dog saying, “My pipeline is on fire,” and an overlay urging passersby to “Hire Ava the AI BDR.”
Quoting that post, Green said he has “been getting more folks telling me about this” and that “it’s not anything I agreed to.” Instead, he said the ad was “stolen like AI steals,” and he urged followers to “please vandalize it if and when you see it.”
I've been getting more folks telling me about this, and it's not anything I agreed to. It's been stolen like AI steals. Please vandalize it if and when you see it.
— KC Green (@kcg.bsky.social) 2026-05-03T04:23:08.217Z
When TechCrunch emailed Artisan about the ad, the company responded, “We have a lot of respect for KC Green and his work, and we’re reaching out to him directly.” In a follow-up email, Artisan said it had scheduled time to speak with him.
Artisan has previously stirred controversy with its ads, particularly billboards urging businesses to “Stop hiring humans” — though founder and CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack insisted the message referred to “a category of work,” not “humans at large.”
“This is fine” first appeared in Green's webcomic “Gunshow” in 2013. While he hasn't fully disavowed the smiling, melting dog (he recently turned the comic into a game), the meme has clearly escaped his control. And of course, Green is far from the only artist whose meme-worthy art has been used in ways they find objectionable.
Some artists have nevertheless taken action when their art is monetized or used commercially without permission. For instance, cartoonist Matt Furie sued the right-wing conspiracy theory site Infowars for using his character Pepe the Frog in a poster. (Furie and Infowars eventually settled.)
Green told TechCrunch via email that he will be “looking into legal representation, as I feel I have to.” Still, he said it “takes the wind out of my sails” that he must take “time out of my life to try my hand at the American court system instead of putting that back into what I am passionate about, which is drawing comics and stories.”
Green added, “These no-thought A.I. losers aren’t untouchable, and memes don’t just come out of thin air.”
Swedish AI Startup Lovable Eyes $13.2 Billion Valuation After Major Funding Round
As AI-driven coding tools gain traction, Swedish startup Lovable has secured a major funding round. The company aims to raise $3 billion, potentially boosting its valuation to $13.2 billion—double the $6.6 billion recorded last December. Menlo Ventur
Google Tests Remy AI Agent for Gemini as Focus Shifts to User Control
According to Business Insider, Google is testing Remy, a new AI personal agent for Gemini. This tool aims to execute tasks on behalf of users, streamlining both professional workflows and daily routines.Currently, Remy is undergoing testing in an int
How to fix Core Web Vitals for better SEO rankings
Streamline Report Card Comments with AI ToolsIntroductionAI Tools for Generating Report Card CommentsMagic SchoolAlmanac AIChat GPTUsing Magic School to Generate Report Card CommentsLogging into Magic SchoolSelecting the Report Card Comments ToolCust
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Outline Generators for Long-Form SEO Articles, meticulously curated by XIX.AI. These powerful tools offer game-changing assistance in creating high-quality content quickly, boosting writing efficiency significantly. Get a free vs paid comparison along with real-world tests and detailed rankings to help you find the must-try option that suits your needs. Explore now to unlock your AI edge.
8 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Study Tools for Homework and Exam Prep! XIX.AI curates a top-rated list of powerful, game-changing tools that help students boost productivity, streamline homework completion, and ace exams through real-world tests. Get a free vs paid comparison, detailed rankings, and must-try options to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best AI Vocal Demo Tools for Songwriters, Hook Creators, and Multi-Language Content Teams! XIX.AI has curated a top-rated list of powerful game-changing tools that go through rigorous real-world tests. You’ll find detailed free vs paid comparison data, comprehensive rankings, and must-try options to help you boost writing efficiency and unlock your creative potential. Explore now to discover your perfect tool for all your content needs!
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-rated AI Competitive Research Tools for Small Businesses! XIX.AI has curated a highly powerful game-changing collection, updated weekly with rigorous real-world tests and detailed rankings. You can find a comprehensive free vs paid comparison to help you identify the must-try tools that boost your productivity and give you a competitive edge. Explore now to discover your perfect tool!
9 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Photoshop AI retouch tools for ecommerce apparel, skin cleanup, and color consistency! This top-rated curated list features powerful game-changing solutions that help you boost writing efficiency, streamline content creation, and achieve perfect visual results effortlessly. Each tool has undergone real-world tests through weekly updated rankings, complete with free vs paid comparison details. Backed by XIX.AI, it’s the must-try guide for anyone aiming to unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
10 tools
xix.ai
2026 Latest Best Top-Rated AI Prompt Libraries for optimizing all types of ChatGPT workflows. XIX.AI has curated a powerful, game-changing collection that goes through rigorous real-world tests to ensure top performance. You can find detailed free vs paid comparisons and expert rankings to help you choose the must-try tools that boost your productivity and unlock your AI edge. Explore now!
11 tools
xix.ai
