The tattooing industry is a constantly changing beast. From simple changes like design trends in popular culture to the evolution of tattoo machines, no conversation has been as polarizing as Generative AI being used in tattooing. Becoming more popular in the early 2020s, Generative AI has cemented itself as a way for those lacking in artistic ability be able to use words to paint what their hands can’t.

Welcome to the Future

For some tattoo artists, the pros outweigh the cons. Winnie the Jroo, a TikTok influencer and tattoo artist, is supportive of the use of Generative AI in the tattoo industry. “It doesn’t matter who or what out there is creating amazing art….Nothing is going to take my creativity away,” says Winnie The Jroo in a TikTok video from 2023.

In a BBC interview, Kerry Gilbert believes that using Generative AI in tattooing has both a positive and negative effect. “AI tattoo designs created by customers are always vigorously looked over because it likes to add extra things like fingers or toes or miss them out and it takes time to redesign.” she said (Cridland, 2026). Ren Lawson, one of the shop’s tattoo artists says “AI isn’t going to help tattoo the work, that’s down to us”.

The Other Side of the Canyon

Other artists aren’t convince, however. For aprilweekender, a tattooer in South Africa, using AI comes with a host of negatives ranging from a lack of respect for skin anatomy to adding a disconnect between artist and client.

On the client side, theres also a more negative impact: artists using AI to “clean up” their tattoo work. In a Facebook post from David Strickland on the “Ink Shaming – All Bad Tattoos” page, he accuses his artist of doctoring the work done on David; he also brings receipts.

A Balancing Act

For ishineink, a tattoo artist and shop owner in Sacremento, California, he believes that there is space for Generative Ai to exist in the tattoo industry; there’s also a responsibility for artists to do their part. “Tattooers have been using the internet for their references, that is no secret. However, it’s up to the artist to add composition, layering, and have an understanding of anatomy to execute that tattoo.”

So, what’s next?

The tattoo industry has been changing since humans first figured out we could put designs on skin, over 5,000 years and counting. There are tattoo printers for temporary tattoos, along with semi-permanent tattooing practices being perfected. No matter where you stand on the subject, it’s clear that neither tattooing or Generative AI are going anywhere.