Stop Hiring Humans

canonical

Origin: Artisan AI (billboard campaign), 2024–2025

SF billboard campaign: 'STOP HIRRING [sic] HUMANS' (intentional typo for screenshot bait) and 'Artisans Won't Complain About Work-Life Balance.' CEO Jaspar Carmichael-Jack admitted: 'the goal of the campaign was always to rage bait.'

Usage

Shorthand for 'rage bait as growth strategy.' Canonical case study in marketing talks, startup strategy threads. Also: direct shorthand for provocateur AI company positioning.

Mutations & variants

Any 'AI will replace [human role]' framing gets tagged to this moment

Cross-platform escapes

TechCrunch: 'Yes, LinkedIn banned AI agent startup Artisan, but now it's back'
KQED, Gizmodo: mainstream press coverage
LinkedIn ban + reinstatement cycle
Academic papers on AI labor discourse

Shelf life: Canonical case study — will be referenced for years as the rage bait example

The lesson everyone draws: rage bait works once, then the company is known for rage bait. 'Stop Hiring Humans' worked because Artisan was willing to absorb the death threats. Most companies aren't. Don't recommend this to anyone building long-term reputation.

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