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Стас ЮрасовThat's Life
4 May 2026, 15:59
2026-05-04
"They stole it, like AI steals." The famous meme This is fine was used without permission in an advertisement for an AI startup — the author is preparing for court
You’ve probably seen this comic: an anthropomorphic dog sits in a room engulfed in flames and says with a smile: «This is fine.» Over the past decade, this image has become one of the most popular memes. But recently, AI startup Artisan decided to «borrow» it for free for its advertising campaign, writes TechCrunch. The author of the comic, KC Green, is furious, calls for the destruction of these posters and is looking for lawyers. We recount the details of the conflict.
You’ve probably seen this comic: an anthropomorphic dog sits in a room engulfed in flames and says with a smile: «This is fine.» Over the past decade, this image has become one of the most popular memes. But recently, AI startup Artisan decided to «borrow» it for free for its advertising campaign, writes TechCrunch. The author of the comic, KC Green, is furious, calls for the destruction of these posters and is looking for lawyers. We recount the details of the conflict.
How an AI startup got a meme
Recently, a photo of an advertising poster for the startup Artisan, placed in the subway, went viral on the social network Bluesky. It depicts the same dog Green, but instead of the classic phrase, he says: «[M]y pipeline is on fire.» Above the picture is a call: «Hire Ava, the AI sales manager.»
The only problem is that the author of the original comic did not give any consent to the use of his work for commercial purposes.
Author’s reaction: «Vandal this ad»
KC Green reacted to the post with the photo of the advertisement in the harshest possible way. He stated that he was being sent this picture en masse, and he did not approve of anything like that.
«It was stolen the same way AI steals,» Green wrote. He also asked his followers to «please vandalize this ad if and when you see it.»
In a comment to the media, the artist said that he is currently looking for lawyers because he feels that he «has to do this.» At the same time, Green admitted that this situation discourages him from any desire to work: instead of drawing comics and stories that he loves, he will have to waste time and nerves on the American judicial system.
«These brainless AI losers are not untouchable, and memes don’t just come out of thin air,» the artist emphasized.
What the startup itself says
When TechCrunch reached out to Artisan for comment, the company responded with a rather restrained response: «We have great respect for KC Green and his work, and we are reaching out to him directly.» In a follow-up email, the startup added that they had already set up a time to speak with the artist.
Interestingly, this is not the first time Artisan has been embroiled in a scandal over its advertising campaigns. Previously, the company put up billboards with the slogan: «Stop hiring humans.» At the time, the startup’s founder and CEO, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, justified the message by saying that it only applied to «a specific category of work,» and not to people in general.
Meme trials are nothing new
The original comic called «Gunshow,» where the dog on fire first appeared, was released back in 2013. And although the meme has long had a life of its own (Green even recently turned it into a video game), the artist is trying to control its commercial use.
There have been cases of meme creators suing for their rights before. The most famous precedent is the lawsuit of artist Matt Fury against the far-right conspiracy website Infowars over the use of his character Pepe the Frog on posters. Then the parties managed to reach a settlement.
