:expressionless:

Why do people watermark AI art? It’s like slapping a “handmade with love” sticker on a batch of cookies you got from the store—confusing, slightly maddening, and oddly fascinating. You’ll see these watermarks, all proud and shiny in the corner, like “JohnArtistry99” or “Created by Me <3,” and the rest of us are just over here like, Ma’am, we can literally see the AI glow in its cyberpunk perfection. No human hand is THAT symmetrical. It’s hard not to assume it’s either a flex—"Look at this masterpiece I ‘created’ by typing ‘goth mermaid riding a neon dragon’ into a bot!”—or some primal need to mark their digital territory, like an art dog claiming its turf. And look, I get it. We all want to add a little pizzazz to the things we touch, but let’s be real—AI-generated art screams “AI” from a mile away. So, while the watermarking trend might be annoying, at least it’s consistent. You can’t help but wonder if the next step is slapping it on a tote bag for maximum drama.

Example