Artist KC Green accuses AI startup Artisan of unauthorized use of his ‘This is fine’ comic in advertising

Mon, 04 May 2026 03:12:00 +0200

Cartoonist KC Green, best known for creating the widely recognized “This is fine” comic, has accused AI startup Artisan of using his artwork without permission in a recent advertising campaign. The original comic, first published in 2013 as part of Green’s webcomic “Gunshow,” features a dog calmly sitting in a burning room and has since become a long-lasting internet meme. According to posts circulating on social media, Artisan allegedly modified the image for a subway advertisement, changing the caption to reference a failing business pipeline while promoting its AI sales tool, “Ava the AI BDR.”

Green publicly stated that he did not authorize the use of his work and described the situation as theft, comparing it to broader concerns about how AI companies use creative content. He also expressed frustration that he may need to pursue legal action, noting that doing so would take time away from his creative work. Artisan responded by saying it respects Green and has reached out to him,