We kick start 2024 with a growing issue related to AI, as to the ongoing debate on copyright and consent in AI image creation.

Lists containing the names of more than 16,000 artists allegedly used to train the Midjourney generative artificial intelligence (AI) programme have gone viral online.

The lists were both partially included in a recent class-action lawsuit and accidentally shared via a public Google spreadsheet named “Midjourney Style List”. While initially restricted, the list supposedly retrieved from Midjourney developers during a process of refining the programme’s ability to mimic works of specific artists and styles, is still partially visible on the Internet Archive ( by clicking on the Proposed Additions as well as Artists sections).

The partial list features over 4000 artist names from a variety of art periods, contemporary art like Keith Haring Haring, Damien Hirst, Yayoi Kusama, Barbara Kruger, Guerilla Girls as well as graffiti and street artists.

Some of the street artists include: Banksy, Invader, Shepard Fairey , Adam Neate, Cornbread, Jef Aerosol, Faith47, Olek, Os Gemeos, Paul Insect, Miss Tic, Miss Van, JR, Retna, Swoon, Stik, Vhils, Zevs to name a few.

Many of the artists and prompts also feature in publicly accessible court documents for a 2023 class-action lawsuit, within a 25-page list of names referenced in training images for the Midjourney programme.

Even though the practice of using human artists’ work without their permission to train generative AI programmes remains in uncertain legal territory, controversies surrounding documents like the “Midjourney Style List” shed light on the actual processes of converting copyrighted artwork into AI reference material.

Further details on the subject on The Art Newspaper