Cartoonists warn AI-generated images could undermine their profession

An AI-produced illustration of Victorian Premier Ben Carroll appeared in one outlet Sun, marked by the paper as generated by artificial intelligence, sparking alarm among cartoonists. Veteran artist Fiona Katauskas called the trend a "punch in the gut" and warned that AI cartoons, which often share a uniform look, risk displacing human illustrators, especially as media outlets face financial strain. News Corp, which has employed AI images for roughly two years, says its code of conduct mandates clear labeling and editorial approval of any digitally altered content.

The Australian Cartoonists Association and academics such as Jeff Sparrow stress the need for industry-wide transparency and robust union action to safeguard jobs. One outlet and Nine Publishing have also released AI usage policies, emphasizing human oversight and limited use of AI for photo-realistic images. Critics argue that without clear ethical standards, the growing reliance on AI could erode the skill set and cultural value of editorial cartooning.