Doki 🔜 EVO 2026

In defense of @mexopolis : this is like criticizing the magic wand tool in photoshop back in the day. Or the Disney 2D greats criticizing 3D interpolating motion (when in fact they would do keys, call it a day and let the inbetweeners and outsourcers deal with that stuff). We can complain about AI and the repercussions it has for creative all we want, but that's a losing battle. It is coming. It's just a different brush, with a massive canvas. It tears down certain financial barriers and it also helps overcome technical redundancies that are not--at all--subjective. And like-it-or-not it's extremely empowering for creators. It's just about how you use it. The fear artists feel is being replaced. True artists will not be replaced. And I know we don't like non-creatives talking about "I made this Pixar movie in 5 minutes," which diminishes the perceived impact and craft and love that goes into a Pixar film. Discredits it. But it also highlights that most people don't know and they can't always tell the difference. And the truth is, over time, this stuff works itself out. Because they almost always certainly FEEL the difference. And the differentiator is the creative mind. Story is most important. Spark, and good taste. And there will be a huge value proposition for "good" content---a trend we're already seeing in a slop market. AI doesn't have to mean replacement. It means better tools at your disposal, often for stuff that doesn't add anything anyways. (I can uprez the video in seconds, rather than re-rendering. I can test things really quick. I can color swap without throwing away all the work. These often are mundane tasks). I also understand that in some way you're removing part of the "process" or "journey" of the craft. But part of the process is there because the technology never allowed for it. Toonboom and other 2D software has rigs now. That wasn't possible before. You don't have to redraw every character on model every frame. I've worked in production environments with teams of 200-800 people and you have to believe me when I say that this didn't make sense. There's a ton of egos. Lethargy. Avoidable fucking around. Trying to get everyone to understand the vision. Crazy iterative processes cus some suit has an opinion. But the truth we don't talk about is this happens on the floor too. Troublesome craftspeople. 'Artists' that are happy to "coast" and don't perform at all, and really don't give a shit. Terrible pipelines. People that want to do it "their way" even if it slows everyone else and is fundamentally not what the director is going for. But above all else, there are MANY things that are just not possible without a massive team or because of technology or licenses or politics. AI will make things much more meritocratic because the access to "making" becomes way more democratic. But when anyone "can", that doesn't mean everyone will, and it also usually means that cream rises to the top, and there is always a shift towards the rustic. I think in this scenario Indie will shine and outperform. Good taste, narrative and meaning will matter. Craft will actually have perceived value for the viewer. This is why LAIKA's recent trailer when ballistics. But there is room for both. There will always be room for both. And in the right hands, new tools for execution levels the playing field even more. And I urge artists to not turn a blind eye, and understand where it CAN help you, without bastardizing your creative process. I bet you'll be surprised how many little things add up that you don't need to be doing. And if you want to do everything by hand, well that's okay too. Just have an open mind and consider the realism of where the industry is heading, how difficult it is to produce content at scale, and also how we've seen this story unfold many, many times. And we're still creating.