Isn’t AI affecting the demoscene as it is affecting other programming hobbies? Why?

There have been lots of discussions around AI in the demoscene. Revision limits how you can use AI (https://2026.revision-party.net/competitions/general-rules/), even if it's not always enforceable.

There's a lot of push back against AI-generated graphics and music. For code, it's more difficult to know. AI is used by some people to automate the boring tasks, so that they can focus more on the artistic side.

At revision there was a cool seminar about the author of a music synth who used AI to modernize it. He begun his talk with words for the audience along the lines of "Please don't do a Life of Brian, I am not here saying Jehova".

It makes sense that a creative medium with a long tradition of pushing boundaries of what people can create, frowns on use of generative tech unless you have created it yourself. Back in the day the pushback was against using AMOS, or a PC, or programming in C, or using a GPU, or using MP3, or using Photoshop, or using another group's demo engine, or using a commercial game engine, or... AI is just the latest. And like its predecessors, it will gain legitimacy if people create genuinely interesting experiences with it.

Game engines and their useage hit harder

Demos are now often using Unreal engine Unity Godot