Who owns it now?

The other day, one of my longtime collaborators, Chris, sent me a video titled “ChatGPT Just Replaced Product Photography, Graphic Design, and More.” (Source: Ben Milsom)

I watched it.

Then I texted him back:

So the question now is… do copyrights even matter anymore?

It wasn’t rhetorical. It was a gut-check. A moment of stillness as I stared down what creative work is becoming. We’ve entered an era where AI can generate usable, high-quality visual content faster than we can sketch a wireframe or set up a studio light. The design world, once protected by its analog origins, is becoming algorithmic.

Chris’s take was sharp:

There will be an ever-shrinking pool of clients who want something unique that only humans can provide, while 90% will be happy with this derivative shit. And no, I don’t think anyone will care about copyright.

He’s probably right. And honestly, that’s what made me pause.