What Zazzle Creators Are Really Saying About AI Art

 

AI art is under fire on Zazzle. Some creators are calling for bans, claiming customers don’t want it and that it undermines trust. But behind those claims is a deeper issue: who gets to be seen as a “real” artist and who gets pushed out when the tools change.

This post breaks down what’s actually happening in Zazzle’s creator community, and why the debate over AI art is less about ethics and more about gatekeeping.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why “customers don’t want AI art” is a misleading claim
• How asset-based creators are exempt from the same disclosure rules
• What counts as “real” art and who decides
• What AI creators are actually asking for (it’s not a free pass)
• Why transparency should apply to all workflows, not just AI
• How this affects visibility, fairness, and the future of design

Whether you use AI tools, licensed assets, or hand-drawn illustrations, this post is for anyone who wants clear standards, honest labeling, and fair treatment across mediums.

The Official Story: “Customers Don’t Want AI Art”

If you scroll through Zazzle public forums or creator groups right now, you’ll see a familiar refrain:

“Customers don’t want AI art. It’s not what they came here for.”

This claim is often used to justify calls for Zazzle to filter out or ban AI-generated products entirely. The argument goes something like this:

• AI art is deceptive
• It undermines trust
• It’s not what Zazzle was built for
• Customers are being misled

But here’s the problem:
There’s no evidence that customers are universally rejecting AI art.
In fact, many AI-assisted designs are selling well especially when they’re created with care, clearly labeled, and visually strong or personally relatable.

This isn’t just about customer preference. It’s about who gets to define what counts as “real” creativity and who gets pushed out when the rules change. 

The Ugly Truth: It’s About Gatekeeping

Let’s be honest: most Zazzle creators aren’t illustrators. They don’t paint their own flowers or draw their own animals. They buy licensed assets clip art, fonts, patterns from places like Creative Market, Etsy, and Design Bundles. Then they style those assets into products.

That’s a valid creative process. But here’s where the gatekeeping starts:

• If you use watercolor clip art from Etsy, you’re seen as a designer.
• If you generate a watercolor-style image with AI, you’re called a fraud.

Same outcome. Different tools. One is accepted. The other is attacked.

Gatekeeping shows up when creators:

• Dismiss AI art as “lazy” while using pre-made assets themselves
• Claim customers are being misled, while not disclosing their own sources
• Push for bans instead of labeling, because they don’t want to share space

It’s not about protecting the marketplace. It’s about protecting a comfort zone. 

What Counts as “Real” Art?

This is where the debate gets personal. Because once you strip away the noise, the real question is:
Who gets to decide what counts as real?

Let’s look at two creators:

• One buys a watercolor flower from Etsy and places it on a mug.
• Another generates a watercolor flower using AI, styles it, and places it on a mug.

Same product. Same customer experience. But only one is seen as “legit.”

Why?

Because the first creator used a familiar tool. The second used a new one.

Medium bias shows up when:

• AI art is dismissed as “fake,” even when it’s styled with care and created responsibly using tools the artist understands and respects
• Asset-based design is praised as “real,” even when it’s built entirely from pre-made parts
• Creators defend their own workflows while attacking others for using different tools

Real art isn’t defined by the tool. It’s defined by the intent, the process, and the clarity behind it. 

The Disclosure Divide: Two Sets of Rules

On Zazzle, creators using AI tools are required to tag their products with “generative content” and often include phrases like “AI image designed by [creator name]” in the description. It’s a transparency rule and many AI creators follow it with pride.

But here’s the catch:
Creators who use illustrated bundles from Etsy or Creative Market don’t have to disclose anything.

They can:

• Buy a watercolor clip art pack
• Drop it onto a product
• Publish it as if it’s their own original work

No tags. No disclaimers. No mention of the source.

AI creators are held to a higher standard of disclosure while asset-based creators are allowed to pass off purchased art as their own.

If creators want transparency, it should apply it across the board:

• AI-generated? Label it.
• Asset-based? Label it.
• Hand-drawn? Celebrate it.

But don’t pretend that only one group needs to explain their process.  

 What Creators Are Actually Asking For

Let’s clear something up: most creators using AI aren’t asking for a free pass. They’re not trying to flood the marketplace or hide their process.

What they’re asking for is fair treatment and clear labeling.

That means:

• Label AI-generated designs just like we label licensed assets
• Let customers decide what they value
• Stop pretending that AI is the only threat to originality in a marketplace built on remixing

Creators who use AI:

• Understand their tools
• Style their work with care
• Disclose their process clearly
• Respect the customer’s right to choose

That’s not cheating. That’s creative integrity.

 

Final Word: Visibility, Fairness, and the Future of Design

This isn’t just a debate about tools. It’s a fight over who gets to be seen, respected, and included.

AI creators are showing up with care, clarity, and disclosure while others pass off purchased bundles as original work with no accountability. That’s not a level playing field. It’s a double standard.

And let’s not forget:
Digital art is created with tools.
So is vector art. So is anything drawn on a laptop, tablet, or stylus.
The tool doesn’t make the artist. The process does.

If the creators want to protect customers, it should start by protecting truth:

• Label all sources AI, assets, hand-drawn
• Respect all workflows that are built with care
• Stop gatekeeping based on fear or unfamiliarity

Creativity isn’t one-size-fits-all. And visibility shouldn’t be reserved for the familiar.

This post is a call to name what’s happening, challenge what’s unfair, and stand up for honest design in all its forms.  

About the Author

This post was written by Susang6, a creator who uses AI tools as part of her design process. Her work is not generated by typing a single prompt and publishing the result. Many of her designs take hours to complete some up to six hours through a process of testing, refining, and adjusting visual details.

She tags all AI-assisted designs with “generative content” and includes clear descriptions such as “AI image designed by Susang6.” Her goal is to be transparent about her tools and process, and to support fair standards for all creators regardless of how their art is made.