Once we as a society have implemented a good way for the artists whose work powers these machines to survive, you can feel good about using them. Until then, frankly, you're doing something immoral by paying to use them.
AI pays no artist.
Enter factories, now you gather all the knowledge from those who made the product, automate it and leave them without jobs.
I'm still not a fan, though.
Whether you pay for it?
Let’s put it this way: paying for or not paying for stolen goods. Does it make any difference?
Why is that remotely relevant?
You want to argue “are the good stolen?” Sure. That’s a discussion we can have.
Did you pay for them or not? Who cares?
That's not something you'll be able to rely on long-term, there won't always be a firehose of venture capital money to subsidise that kind of charity.