This is an open letter to all magicians,
Almost all magicians should avoid using AI for your promotional materials.
Did you skoff at this edict? Good. That means you are paying attention so let me tell you why...
A long time ago, much longer now than it seems, business cards and websites were expensive for various reasons. To get a proper business card made and designed was pricey as was to have a proper website designed. It took time, money, and skill to have those promotional materials made for you and the people who had the funds to get the stuff made were working professionals.(or semi-pros with real jobs)
Enter Vistaprint. Quick and cheap credentials at your fingertips. Any huckster could get business cards to legitimize their schemes. There were even kiosks in malls to get them knocked out fast. This let any two-bit amateur have a piece of paper that said "professional" on it for pennies compared to getting it done professionally. I am sure many people were scammed because of some Hollywood "producer" back then.
Then came Wordpress. This allowed industrious people with no skill to charge hand coded website prices for just slapping on a free template and undercut people who knew how to actually make a website by hand. Later on Wix did the same thing and made it even easier. Many magicians had a website with the "powered by Wix" tag at the bottom because they didn't want to pay for a proper website and went the "free" route.
What's my point you ponder? Eventually enough people were able to spot the difference between a professional product and a cheap imitation. Anyone with a flimsy templated business card or website had people second guessing their legitimacy. If the promotional material was cheap how good could the performer be? Were they faking it til' they were making it? In most cases... yes. Yes they were. Today it is less of an issue because the tools got better and more commonplace as well as the costs came down. Those examples were, thankfully, in a very niche place. They served one purpose.
This is where AI comes in. It is FAR more pervasive because it fills many holes (giggity). It ranges from searching, to writing, to art, to coding, and beyond. The one thing AI and the previously mentioned examples have in common is they allow(ed) mediocre people to make mediocre things. People with no training or credentials could suddenly be "legitimate". This kind of evolution can be dangerous as it's already hard enough to cut through the cacophony of modern monetization.
The reason I suggest that the modern magi think twice about using AI is thus:
1. People are already starting to be able to spot the use of AI because with no actual understanding of it, what is produced has a "look". The AI art style is very apparent and people will start to dismiss your promotional materials because of it. As I am oft to say, once one thing is suspect, everything is suspect. If you think that cartoon of you saved you a few bucks from hiring an actual artist, you have no idea how much in bookings you are losing because you come off as cheap and look like every other amateur using it.
2. Many magicians already have enough problems connecting with their audience due to lack of training and perhaps some social cue inhibiting genetics. What you DON'T need is something else thinking for you that ALSO doesn't connect with people. It's like the AI leading the blind. If you have no understanding of your tools, don't expect it to produce something that will make up for your experience deficit. It's like staring at your circular saw on the bench and wondering why it's not making you a table already.
The term "AI Slop" exists for a reason, and when you start using it to promote your show, business, etc you will get lumped in with that slop. Do it the right way and hire a professional. Obviously that is harder and harder due to the things I have mentioned above, but that is where recommendations and asking friends comes in. Do it right or reap the rewards of doing it the lazy cheap way. Up to you.
Do the work and think for yourself...
