Bay Area lettering artist Jessica Hische designed the M logo for Meta's new AI assistant Muse, and she expected some pushback. But the online reaction went further than she anticipated. Critics on Threads called her "disgusted" and accused her of selling out; some posted photos of her house and speculated about her wealth.
Hische says the decision was financial. She told WIRED that client work has been slow, and her two brick-and-mortar shops in Oakland are barely profitable—she made about $10,000 in profit from them last year. She charged Meta $12,500 for the two-day logo sprint, which she described as "an amazing amount of money" but not life-changing. She also has four people on payroll, including herself and her mom.
She argues that Meta should be commended for hiring an independent artist rather than using generative AI. But the backlash illustrates how strongly some in the creative community oppose working with AI companies in any capacity. The interview also notes that Meta's chief AI officer joked the logo avoids looking like a butthole, a concern Hische says was likely top of mind internally.