Generative Artificial Intelligence has grown in popularity so rapidly over the past few years. At least one person you know has used AI to generate a photo of themselves as a Disney character, or used it to draft an email. However, one of the especially harmful sides of generative AI is how it is infiltrating the art and craft industries. Artists of all kinds are the victims of AI theft, and consumers are the victims of AI scams. With PDF pattern printing being a huge part of our business, we see first hand how easy it can be for a crafter to fall for these poorly drafted patterns with their confusing and inaccurate instructions. Want to save yourself the headache of AI sewing patterns? Learn how to identify them yourself with this list!
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Price
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! Sewing pattern designers put so much work into each pattern, from drafting to grading every size, designing all the graphics and creating content for social media so you can follow along on their journey. $5 per pattern is just not a realistic price, let alone for a whole pattern bundle! We hear home sewists gawk at the price of patterns all the time! Just know that that pattern you’re spending $20+ on was made thoughtfully by a real person with a passion, trying to give you the best of the best.
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Social Media
On the topic of social media, most AI sewing pattern “designers” don’t have one. No progress photos of the drafting process, no calls for testers and no diverse modelling. Real human pattern designers document their process, and will link their social media and website on their Etsy shop profiles. When an AI sewing pattern shop does have social media it only has photos of the pattern itself or generated photos of the finished product.
This is what we should see from an Etsy shop profile!
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Profile
Since there isn’t a real person behind AI patterns, then there isn’t a story. No history of educational experience, no inspirational “why?” to drive their work. When you click on the AI store’s profile there’s a gaping blank space where a biography should be. If an AI shop has a bio, even that is written with AI. Keep an eye out for excessive use of em-dashes and the “rule of threes” (describing something with three descriptors or phrases).
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Time Frame
Most designers' journeys do not happen overnight. Some designers have been sewing for a long time before they get into designing their own patterns. Patterns take a long time to develop, grade and test, which means most independent designers you see have a small catalogue, with only a few releases every year. However, AI patterns take no time at all to develop, meaning their catalogue is extensive, regardless of how long they’ve been selling. Keep an eye on the year that the creator has been on Etsy. If they’ve only been on Etsy for a year and a half, but have a catalogue of 79, those patterns were not developed by human hands.
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Reviews
You would think that the reviews on AI patterns would give away that they’re AI, based on people leaving bad reviews on horrible construction and fit. But like the above example, these AI pattern shops are always in the 4.5 - 5 star range. However, if you really look closely at the reviews, they have almost nothing to do with the pattern itself, but of the ease and quality of the download. All these reviews say things like “I can’t wait to make this”. None of the reviews actually relate to the quality of the pattern itself. Always remember; reviews can be bought, always look for photos of customer makes.
These two reviews are from the same shop. One person recognized that the pattern didn’t work and was AI, while another person left a review before they had even tried the product.
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Photos
Though photos should be the dead giveaway for AI patterns, as AI gets better and better it’s not as reliable to trust a photograph. AI photo generation is getting better, and the markers we used to look out for that screamed “THIS IS AI” are disappearing. It’s now easier to look for what’s not there than what is: diverse models. This is not true of all sewing pattern designers, but anyone who has done the work to have many different body types test their patterns has photos of these people wearing their designs. If this is not the case then the designer is the sole model of their patterns, which means you should be seeing the same person repeated in store photos versus several very similar looking models. AI photos are often too polished to be real. Real people have imperfect bodies and environments, AI doesn’t. Can you tell the difference between this very real pattern designer and this AI model?
Etsy has recently put out a statement about their lukewarm regulation of AI content on their platform. I, unfortunately am not convinced this will completely curb this issue, especially as AI continues to get more realistic. It’s important to continue to stay educated on what to look out for and always vet your pattern designers. There are so many great designers out there who put so much heart into their work, and even just one pattern purchase makes a difference in their lives. Go out there and support real artists, we can’t wait to see what you’re making!