HATE AI? You might be missing the point.

This is an open letter to all of my fellow artists. 

For many of us, art isn’t a job. It’s personal. It’s years of passion, failure, breakthroughs, and relentless effort. The use of AI in art challenges more than the process; it challenges the artist’s worth. It’s not about technology making art; it’s about what the rise of AI says about the value of human creativity—and how easily society discounts it.

Creating the Talking Tarot Deck was an exercise in blending AI with human creativity. 

It tool 18 months to create the Talking Tarot Deck—an interactive tarot deck that fuses human artistry with artificial intelligence.  From this, I learned that AI provides raw material, but turning that into something beautiful takes vision—and work. Generating the raw stock art alone, took hundreds of hours. Why?  It’s just a tool—like a paintbrush, a camera, or a pen. What you create depends entirely on how you use it.  AI doesn’t think or dream for you.

As artists, we think differently, and that difference matters. Call it left-brain versus right-brain. I call it creativity versus logic. AI in the hands of an artist is like giving two kids crayons: one will scribble, and the other will craft something extraordinary. Same tool, different result. That’s where the magic happens—not in the tech, but in the hands of the creator.

The ethics of AI art demands careful attention. 

Artists worry about their work being exploited. That’s why I’ve taken steps to ensure the Talking Tarot Deck respects copyrights and artistic integrity. Here’s how:

  1. I retain all base art generated by AI. If any artist believes their work influenced the output, I’m open to an honest dialogue.
  2. I conduct reverse image checks to avoid unintentional replication of existing work.
  3. Every piece undergoes significant alteration to ensure originality and avoid replication.
  4. I maintain open communication for concerns about artistic integrity.

The result? Art that’s ethically sound, deeply intentional, and unique.

AI doesn’t replace artists; but it can amplify their creativity.

AI doesn’t replace the human touch. The Talking Tarot is proof of that. It’s a blend of tradition and technology, creativity and innovation. Using AI required as much—if not more—effort than the traditional methods I used with the Lightworker’s Deck and the Star Kissed Tarot deck. Because true artistry isn’t about the tool; it’s about the soul behind the work.

AI demands care, respect, and creativity. When wielded responsibly, it doesn’t replace the artist—it amplifies them.  That’s because an artist who uses AI can do things they can’t without it.   Here’s my truth about art and AI: Art is sacred. It’s human. And no matter how advanced AI gets, it will never match the soul of a creator who pours their being into the work.  We are here to remind the world that the artist’s touch is, and always will be, irreplaceable.

Sincerely,
Stephanie Cecchini, Founder of Tarot Skills