Image generators can produce a picture in any style in seconds, which makes artists ask the question more urgently than most. The data shows a split: fine art and craft rest on physical work and an artist's name, while illustration for hire is under real pressure.
The short answer: AI is not replacing artists as a whole, but it is competing with illustrators. The ILO's 2025 index rates visual artists as not exposed to generative AI, at 0.21. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 1 percent decline for craft and fine artists from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,300 openings a year, and says AI-generated illustrations may compete with illustrators. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed artists are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Artists | Not exposed | 0.21 |
The ILO scores tasks across the whole occupation, much of which is physical: painting, sculpting and making. That keeps the average low even where image generators compete.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Craft and fine artists | Decline 1% | About 4,300 |
The BLS says AI-generated illustrations may compete with illustrators and reduce employment in that part of the occupation, and that cheap machine-made items designed to look handmade may limit growth for craft artists.
What AI is taking on
- Quick images and concept sketches for ads, posts and products.
- Variations on a style, layout or color scheme.
- Mockups of how a piece would look in a room or on a product.
- Descriptions, listings and marketing for selling work online.
What stays with the artist
- Making: knitting, weaving, glassblowing, painting, drawing and sculpting.
- Ideas: developing new creative ideas and methods.
- Materials: choosing materials for color, texture and strength.
- Selling: showing work at galleries, fairs, museums and online, where who made it matters.
- Rights: purely AI-generated material is not protected by US copyright. See AI-generated work and copyright.
How the job is changing
Commercial illustration faces the most competition from image generators, while physical art, craft and work sold on the artist's name are less affected. Many artists use AI for admin and marketing while keeping it out of the work itself. For design work, see will AI replace graphic designers?
See also will AI replace photographers?, will AI replace musicians? and jobs safe from AI
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for craft and fine artists at $55,290 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The BLS says the education needed to enter varies; its profile explains the routes in. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace artists?
Not as a whole on current evidence. The ILO rates visual artists not exposed to generative AI (0.21), but the BLS projects a 1 percent decline to 2035 and says AI illustrations may compete with illustrators.
Are illustrators at risk from AI?
The BLS says AI-generated illustrations may compete with illustrators and reduce employment in that part of the occupation.
How many artist openings are expected?
The BLS projects about 4,300 openings a year for craft and fine artists.
Can AI art be copyrighted?
In the US, purely AI-generated material is not protected by copyright, while human creative contributions can be.