I’ve used generative AI before, to create illustrations for my Medium stories. I’m embarrassed and won’t ever use it again. Now when I see everyone from my local chamber of commerce to non-profits and authors making the same slop images over and over again, it just makes me sad.

It’s everywhere, and those images look like dandelions in a rose garden.

Make your own books covers, use stock photos, learn Canva or InDesign, hire someone who can.

Setting aside the arguments from theft and environmental damage, it tells people (including your customers and clients!) you’re lazy and couldn’t give a shit about quality.