AI Company Artisan launches controversial “Stop Hiring Humans” campaign

San Francisco-based AI startup Artisan has sparked controversy with its provocative advertising campaign discouraging human employment. As reported by Lucas Ropek, the company has placed billboards across the city promoting their “AI Employees” software for customer service and sales. The advertisements, backed by Y-Combinator, feature messages like “Artisans won’t complain about work-life balance” and “The era of AI employees is here.” CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack defended the controversial campaign in an interview with SFGate, acknowledging its dystopian nature while claiming it was designed to attract attention. The company’s actual product is software for customer service and sales workflow automation, rather than complete human worker replacements. The campaign has generated significant public discussion about AI’s role in the workforce and Silicon Valley’s approach to automation.