Stock art / spot illustrations
Illustrator · Commercial Illustration
“Stock art / spot illustrations” (Illustrator) was largely replaced by AI in 2025, after AI entered in 2022.
AI enters
2022
Largely replaced
2025
Replacement progress
100%
Technology / key factor
Text-to-image models
What this task is
Drawing generic illustrations and small spot art for articles, ads, websites and publications. Demand is high, subjects are common, and a distinctive personal style matters relatively little.
How AI replaces it
After text-to-image models spread in 2022, a short prompt yields several usable images in seconds, far cheaper than commissioning or licensing stock art. By 2025, much of this generic illustration was AI-generated.
What stays human
Illustrators move toward commissions that need a clear personal style or clean usage rights, or polish AI drafts into finished pieces, delivering work that clients value more highly.