“AI doesn't dream”: Jim Lee explains why DC will never touch generative AI

DC Comics president Jim Lee just drew a hard line in the sand about generative AI—and he's not budging. Speaking at a retailer's day panel at New York Comic Con this week, Lee told fans that DC "will not support AI-generated storytelling or artwork," adding emphatically: "Not now, not ever, as long as Anne DePies and I are in charge."

The declaration, reported by The Verge, got loud cheers from the crowd—a sign that comic book fans are pretty fed up with AI creeping into their beloved medium.

Lee didn't hold back in explaining why. "People have an instinctive reaction to what feels authentic. We recoil from what feels fake," he said. "AI doesn't dream. It doesn't feel. It doesn't make art. It aggregates it." He emphasized that the imperfections in human-created work—the smudges, rough lines, and hesitations—are what give comics their soul.


The bold New York Comic Con declaration comes after DC faced backlash over AI-suspected comic covers
The strong stance likely stems from DC's own messy encounters with AI. The company has faced several controversies over variant comic book covers suspected of using generative AI , leading to backlash and eventual replacements. Those incidents apparently pushed DC to take a firmer position going forward.

Lee compared AI concerns to other tech scares that fizzled out, like Y2K and the NFT craze. But unlike those flash-in-the-pan moments, he's making sure AI doesn't become DC's problem.

"Anyone can draw a cape. Anyone can write a hero," Lee said. "But Superman only feels right when he's in the DC universe. Our universe, our mythos. That's what endures."

It's a refreshing commitment from one of comics' biggest publishers, especially as Hollywood studios continue flirting with AI despite growing public backlash. Whether this stance holds up long-term remains to be seen, but for now, DC's heroes are staying firmly in human hands.