ChatGPT and other AI services are basically killing @Iconfactory and I'm not exaggerating or being hyperbolical.

First Twitter/Elon killed our main app revenue that kept the lights on around here, then generative AI exploded to land a final blow to design revenue.

Tapestry's Kickstarter was a bit of a hail mary, but people aren't subscribing in great enough numbers to replace Twitterrific revenue and that combined with the sudden free-falling design revenue might just be the end of us.
I know nothing I say is going to get anyone to stop using ChatGPT and generating a new app icon in 5 minutes for the app that you also had ChatGPT write for you in a few hours, but I'm not sure what the rest of us are supposed to do about making enough money to, ya know, live.
I think perhaps because @Iconfactory design is quite good people have this impression that we're sitting here on a pile of money or something and some huge powerhouse - nope. We've been barely making it since Elon/Twitter. There's only 6 of us and there's no war chest.

@bigzaphod There are a handful of high profile examples that make people think most indies/small co’s are making lots of money, but the reality is most of us are making just enough to get by doing something we love — or have some other job to sustain us.

For what it's worth, I backed Tapestry (is there a way to subscribe while being a backer?), subscribe to Wallaroo, and recently bought xScope again (for some reason I had the app store version)

@bigzaphod I would actually love to get some design work done, but honestly I'm facing my own headwinds that make viability beyond a year out questionable, so I can't really afford to.

I need to diversify, but so many ideas I would otherwise pursue are just as vulnerable. Which sucks, because at this point I'm probably unhireable — not that it matters, I'd hate going back to a corporate job.

@montyhayter similar here, tbh - we'd love to sit down and come up with more ideas but... there's no headroom for it. Tapestry was it, basically. It was the shot. And we didn't expect designs services to vanish basically overnight.
@bigzaphod surprised there’s not a big demand for glass layered icons for all the 26s.