# Foregrounding Artist Opinions: A Survey Study on Transparency, Ownership, and Fairness in AI Generative Art

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.15497 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.15497/

## Key facts

- Cited by 11 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 27 Jan 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 11 of 11)

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- [What if AI systems weren't chatbots?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.07896/) (2026)
- [The Ethical Implications of AI in Creative Industries: A Focus on AI-Generated Art](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.05549/) (2025)
- [At the edge of a generative cultural precipice](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.08739/) (2024)
- [Deconstructing Jazz Piano Style Using Machine Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.05009/) (2025)
- [Kaleidoscope Gallery: Exploring Ethics and Generative AI Through Art](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.14758/) (2025)
- [Fairness risk and its privacy-enabled solution in AI-driven robotic applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.08953/) (2026)
- [How Professional Visual Artists are Negotiating Generative AI in the Workplace](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.04537/) (2026)
- [Can AI be a moral victim? The role of moral patiency and ownership perceptions in ethical judgments of using AI-generated content](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.26956/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Generative AI tools are used to create art-like outputs and sometimes aid in the creative process. These tools have potential benefits for artists, but they also have the potential to harm the art workforce and infringe upon artistic and intellectual property rights. Without explicit consent from artists, Generative AI creators scrape artists' digital work to train Generative AI models and produce art-like outputs at scale. These outputs are now being used to compete with human artists in the marketplace as well as being used by some artists in their generative processes to create art. We surveyed 459 artists to investigate the tension between artists' opinions on Generative AI art's potential utility and harm. This study surveys artists' opinions on the utility and threat of Generative AI art models, fair practices in the disclosure of artistic works in AI art training models, ownership and rights of AI art derivatives, and fair compensation. Results show that a majority of artists believe creators should disclose what art is being used in AI training, that AI outputs should not belong to model creators, and express concerns about AI's impact on the art workforce and who profits from their art. We hope the results of this work will further meaningful collaboration and alignment between the art community and Generative AI researchers and developers.