Pinterest’s AI Overload Makes It Unusable for Artists Seeking Real References

I, like many others, rely on Pinterest to find reference images for my artwork. Whether I’m looking for flowers to draw, tomatoes to paint, or furniture to sketch, Pinterest has been my go-to source. The platform hosts a vast collection of images uploaded by photographers and casual users alike—anything you can imagine is likely there. Often, I simply open the app on my phone and paint whatever catches my eye, eliminating the need to decide what to create.

When I resumed painting in January, I returned to Pinterest, only to find it overrun with AI-generated content. The problem has worsened over time, to the point where the platform is now basically unusable for my needs. While some images are labeled as AI-generated or modified, many are not. Distinguishing between real and fake images has become increasingly difficult.

Last night, I attempted to use a photo of a beautiful flower as a reference for a painting. After sketching and starting to paint, I noticed something odd: the stem had an unnatural metal piece directly beneath the petals, and the petals themselves looked incorrect upon closer inspection. I paused, realizing I couldn’t continue. I don’t want to paint from AI-generated reference photos, and neither do many others who use Pinterest in the same way.

Images labeled as AI or those that even remotely resemble AI-generated content are flooded with comments from users calling them “AI slop” and expressing their unwillingness to paint from them. These images lack life—peach skins are unnaturally pristine, flowers have stems that are far too straight, and everything appears overly shiny with little movement. For me, painting from a reference is about capturing the tiny details that AI could never replicate.

Surprisingly, there is a way to reduce AI-generated content on Pinterest, though it’s not immediately obvious. There’s no dedicated filter option, but the setting is hidden in your profile. To access it, click on your profile, then the settings icon. Under “refine your recommendations,” there’s a tab for generative AI. Everything is turned on by default, but you can switch it off.

Unfortunately, turning off this setting doesn’t eliminate all AI-generated content. I still encounter images that are obviously AI-generated, and some that I suspect are. This infiltration of AI into art forces me to waste mental energy questioning whether an image is AI-generated. Even if it’s not AI, it’s likely an advertisement clogging the platform—or worse, it could be both.

The situation is further complicated by reports from Pinterest users that their human-made art is being incorrectly tagged as AI-generated. Artists told 404 Media that their work, including pieces uploaded before AI technology became widespread, was being labeled as AI. This issue is likely due to Pinterest’s relatively new AI moderation tools.

For Pinterest, AI is not a bug but a feature. The platform is actively integrating AI into its system, which has significant implications for artists and creators who rely on authentic references.