On Integrity in AI Art (A Little Personal Rant, with Love)

The Decision Is Always Bigger

Lately I’ve had this thing nagging at me. I’ve been pouring myself into my AI art—not just pressing buttons, but building whole stories, scenes, moods. I’m using tools like Midjourney, Photoshop, Lightroom, and RunwayML sure, but I treat each piece like it matters. I rewrite. I revise. I craft the world around it. It’s not just output—it’s artwork.

This isn’t about gatekeeping or purity tests. I believe AI can be a powerful tool in the fine art world. I use it every day. But how we use it matters. The tool doesn’t make the art—the choices do. The heart does. The work does.

Here’s the part that sticks with me: if someone fed one of my photos into an AI model and called the result their “original piece,” I’d be pissed. And yet I see it happening—quietly, casually, sometimes even praised like it’s pushing boundaries. And that just doesn’t sit right.

So here’s where I land:

• Originality still matters.Remixing public domain stuff doesn’t automatically make it meaningful. It might be collage, or it might just be derivative. That’s not necessarily bad—but let’s not pretend it’s something it’s not.

• AI isn’t a cheat code.It can open up new doors, yes—but it’s not a shortcut to depth, clarity, or soul.

• Be real about your process.If you built something from scratch with care and intention, say so. If you used found materials, be upfront. Transparency isn’t weakness—it’s respect.

• Respect is the baseline.If it’s not your image, don’t just grab it. Ask permission. Or don’t use it. Simple as that.

  
  

Here’s what I’m trying to do:I build my visuals from the ground up. I don’t lean on stock or old ads or someone else’s snapshots. I touch every part of it. I want my work to not just look good—but to hold up when you ask where it came from and why it exists.

This isn’t a takedown. It’s a call-in—to anyone using AI in their art with care, with curiosity, and with a real desire to do it right.

We’ve got a chance to shape this space. Let’s do it with integrity.