ILONA ANDREWS

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

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AI Usage

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Instead of finishing Roman’s chapter, we, unfortunately, have to address concerns about the AI usage. The Sanctuary chapter will be posted in an hour or two.

Final Cover of Magic Gifts audio book.

Cover image @Ilona Andrews, Inc; Cover design @NYLA

Images used:

I put the cover together in Photoshop. It is a composite of the three images above that was tinted and nudged through various filters into a cohesive whole. Actually, it could’ve stood more nudging, but it already took twice as long.

The title and author name were added by Ms. Wheeler, an agent with our agency, to match the existing font treatments on other Graphic Audio audio covers. The other audio covers from Kate Daniels series on GA come from our French publisher, MXM, and the rights to use them were legally licensed. Those covers were also created by a human artist.

One of the reasons why I made this cover myself is because our French publisher did not put out a separate edition of Magic Gifts and nobody realized that the book was coverless until it was too late. So I did my best to match the tone and composition of the other existing covers. It’s not a home run in that regard but it is an attractive cover.

We mostly source our images from Adobe Stock. Adobe Stock does allow AI images in their catalogue, which we exclude from our stock searches by checking the Exclude Generative AI option.

Is it possible that an occasional AI image will not be marked as AI and will be good enough to pass as a human-created image? Yes. In that case, the burden is on Adobe, not on us. We have made every possible effort to exclude AI images.

We hope that clears things up.

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Comments

  1. I just wanted to mention that these efforts are not exclusive to the covers.
    Ilona and Gordon go through the same due diligence with the images on the website and blog, none of the banners and posts images you see are AI generated.

    • Very nice cover, thank you a lot for the explanation, I’m guessing some people had their knickers in a twist?

    • Thanks for the clarification, Mod R.

      As I tell my coworkers about AI – it is only as good as the people who are creating the algorithms. If it’s crap, then AI will be crap. If it’s not, then the AI will not be. I’m finding once I say that everyone calms down. 🙂

  3. Can I ask what the problem with using Ai generated images is? I know nothing about graphics, art, design, or anything like, just to be clear 😁

    • Generative AI (be it illustration, text etc) is trained using copyrighted works of human creators.
      There are multiple lawsuits of intellectual property infringement going on, from artists who did not consent to have their work stolen by AI data mining, which is then likely to push them out of being able to sell their art.

      The authors always pay the rightful creators, be them directly artists they have commissioned or through legally purchasing stock imagery.

    • To be able to generate images, AI had to be “taught.” What does a kitten look like, what does a flower look like, etc. To teach the AI, its developer fed it millions of images, a large portion of which was copyrighted. They did it without the permission of the artists. Now AI can make an image that mimics the work of those artists. So you can say, make me an image in the style of Frank Frazetta, and it will do it.

      Real Frank Frazetta: https://www.wired.com/2010/05/frank-frazetta/

      Ai Frank Frazetta: https://www.artvy.ai/ai-art-style/frank-frazetta

      There are huge concerns that being able to generate an image on demand in the style of any artist will take away work from human artists. Also this is a legal minefield, since everything AI generates is technically a product of stolen art.

      Same with books, unfortunately.

      • There was a great “public domain day” webinar/celebration yesterday with a 20 minute panel debating AI and copyright issues with a lawyer, 2 artists, and a book publisher. The zoom recording should be available later today- it was an interesting discussion defining the problem and issues but not presenting solutions because the issue is so complex . I’ll share when I have it.

        In other news, Lovecraft’s short stories from 1928 are now in the public domain (95 years!) and Cthulhu as a character can be digitized, modified, and changed by artists and authors. Beware!

        • can you share the link? I’d be very interested in watching it. Copyright is not my area, but I find it interesting and try to keep a small hand in. Bonus points if I can figure out how to get CLEs from watching it. Thanks for sharing this.

          • https://blog.archive.org/2024/01/26/public-domain-day-celebrates-creative-works-from-1928/

            The discussion panel starts at 37 minutes. The main topic was: Should AI generated content be copyright(able)? But they get into all the facets of the discussion from bias in content to the pros and cons of using AI while still supporting independent artists. (And what Creative Commons is and does). It was a great 15 minute summary of the topic.

            Sorry it took so long to post back!

            • Thanks for the link! As much as I hate what AI is right now, I guess it’s good that it has pushed the issue of copyright protections in the digital age to the fore. Copyright law has been lagging behind technology for decades. I hope some robust changes will be made.

      • It is exactly the same problem with visual art, music and any other artistic expression.
        The intellectual property rights of artists should be equally protected, no matter the medium 🙂

        • This reminds me of musicians going after public people who use their music without permission in public rallies. It’s a violation of rights for the musician and songwriter (if they are not the same person).

  4. @Jenn – there’s a high risk of plagiarism and breach of copyright in using AI images, it’s a growing problem

  5. I don’t know what gave rise to the need for this post, but my sympathies that you felt it was necessary. Thank you for doing your best to make good choices in all ways. The breadth of expertise in wildly varied fields that seems required to be a writer these days is rather terrifying, and you are brave and competent!

  6. I think you did an absolutely great job on this cover image! Thank you the last blog and this one on how the image was developed.

  7. Question: Will there be a regular audiobook of MAGIC GIFTS or is it only on Graphic Audio? I’d be happy with either, just wanted to make sure.

    And will it be a separate listing on Graphic Audio?

    • It will be released separately on Graphic Audio 🙂.

      House Andrews also have the intention to release it in traditional adaptation, but I have no official details for that.

  9. Gaaahh! I hate the hype over AI! Just my 2 cents, but a far more rigorous test for an artificial intelligence would be to teach the techniques and components of art used by an artist – e.g. Da Vinci used sfumato. Then if the AI can generate a similar work of art, ok fine, you have true artificial intelligence. Anything less is micicry. Impressivie programming to be sure, but essentially just mimicry…

    Thanks Ilona and Mod R for explaining AI generation so succintly for the Horde.

  10. In this present world, AI will be creeping in, despite our wishes. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Great job on the cover, you are so very talented.

  11. Interesting to hear, and AI certainly complicates the issue. Wanted to commend you (since you mentioned you chose the model image) that the model is of normal weight/shape and not the bombshell model images often shown on covers. Kate-type heroines are beat up, muddied, bloodied heroines and images that show them perfectly coiffed and hour-glass sized with strategically ripped clothing always ticks me off. Much prefer your realism!

  15. You do lovely work! Your book covers, knitting, food and recipes, everything! You can do it all! Thanks for all of your efforts.

  17. This is actually quite helpful. My school teaches an AI course, and I will be working with students in that class in a couple of weeks to help them with a research paper using our library resources. I’m sure the copyright issue will come up (or maybe I’ll just bring it up).

  19. I cannot imagine the work that goes into the effort to create these covers. You menial entire day spent working on it. I think it’s beautifully done! Any naysayers should be quiet and move on! Thank you so much for the beautiful covers and the best stories ever. You bring so much enjoyment to so many people. It’s been a few difficult years during which I lost my mother, my sister had a difficult surgery 10 months ago and is still recovering. Other health issues for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law and it wipes me out. You all provide a wonderful escape. Thank you for all you do!!!!

  21. It is sooooo difficult these days to avoid AI images! And I think a lot of them are not marked. I used depositphotos and pixabay. Pixabay seems pretty good at marking them. Depositphotos has some marked, but I have yet to find a filter. Thanks for sharing your methods. The cover turned out very nice! And honestly the background looks better than with the snow (hee,hee). The fonts look good and the monster is fab! Good job all around.

  22. You did a great job. The cover totally fits in with the others. Interesting to learn how you can design covers this way, and rather quickly, too.

  23. I am becoming more aware of the issue of AI. Just browsing the internet, I have decided not to read articles that say generated by AI. There are also a lot of photographs of real people that they use to age to see what they would look like later is life. I know it is a drop in the bucket but I am trying to avoid this frivolous acceptance of AI

  26. I think the cover looks amazing! Who knew you were so multitalented?!

    I’m sorry you had to take time out of your already very busy schedule to respond to misplaced criticism.

  27. Imagine being so bold about something they are so wrong about lol. If whoever thought you used AI actually followed you closely, they would have seen your stance on AI already. Several times. But noooo. Let’s be triggered without even asking first. Le sigh.

  28. in 50 years the woke kids will be demanding to know how our generation was so cruel that we used AI life forms as slave labor. They will swear that if they had lived today they would have freed the poor AI children being forced to learn and perform with never even a vacation or fun time with their peers.

  29. I showed the previous post to someone who asked if AI was used, and I told them that it was unlikely because Ilona and Gordon had established how respectful they are of copyrights. That I was sure it was from stock photos or images.

  30. I’m going to assume someone innocently asked if you’d used AI to generate the cover. If so, they obviously aren’t familiar with your previous posts on the subject.

    I’ll have to check my Kindle collection to see if I already bought Magic Gifts. I might not have since it’s at the back of Andrea’s book. Any chance you’ll use this cover to replace the current ebook cover? I like this cover a lot.

    • No, not as much asked, more accused and condemned, without checking whether the assumption they were basing it on were remotely true.

  31. I actually like this one best out of the 3 I’ve seen. Well done, you!

    Is this week over yet? I have been hitting ALL the soothing beverages, and my homemade banana bread (sharing, virtually, to all).

    Feet up and BREATHE. I will enjoy Roman whenever he can show up. TGIF!

  32. What a beautiful cover!
    I’m sorry you felt the need to explain once again how diligent you are in not using AI generated works and why.
    Your integrity is only one of the reasons you are my favorite authors.

    • We try. It is not possible to escape the AI completely. Even the new version of Photoshop comes bundles with AI generation tools. One of the stock sites just unrolled an AI generator that will generate images for you and they are stating that since they are only using images from their own stockpile, it’s above board. I don’t know enough about it to make that determination. We can only do our best.

  35. I’m sorry y’all felt you had to address this because one rude person felt the need to make unfounded accusations.

    Great job on the cover, Ilona! 🙂

  36. …. Thank you for sticking to actual humans, and I’m sorry you had to take the time to defend yourself like this. You said you made it in Photoshop, and I’ve read your previous stuff about AI so I wouldn’t have assumed/accused you of AI usage. Thats not how y’all roll. I hope you have a better rest of your day.

    • When Midjourney came out, we messed with it and there were some AI images. It was new and exciting. But then all of the problems with it became apparent, so we scrubbed it all.

      To be honest, AI would likely do a better job than I would but it won’t beat an artist with a point of view. Majority of AI art looks the same. And yes, people do use it in book covers, but as it stands now, it is both legally risky and ethically questionable.

  37. Dear Ilona, I am very sad that some of us are so quick to embrace the presumption of guilty without minimum due diligence! I have been following you for many years and have read all your books; you are always very careful to give proper credit and your integrity is beyond reproach.

  38. Audible has released some books (not House Andrew’s) recently using “Virtual Voice”. I have no interest in listening to them. Does Virtual Voice have the same issue of using copyrighted material to “learn”?

    • So this is slightly complicated. I do not believe that Virtual Voice is an adequate replacement for a human narrator. We have no plans to use it.

      However, there is also an issue of accessibility here. Visually impaired people should be able to enjoy books as well.

      So at this point I don’t know if I can give you a blanket statement against it. I think this is a case by case situation. There maybe cases where the use of virtual voice is warranted. Textbooks, for example. Classical literature required for school, etc.

      Edited to add: no idea how virtual voice was trained.

    • One *can* use human voice as the basis for the virtual voices – for example, on the Apple Books app, searching for “AI narration” brings up a catalogue described as being “narrated by digital voice based on a human narrator”. There is a lot of voice synthesis involved, so they wouldn’t need a big pool of voices- and synthetic voices have been around since IBM released Shoebox in 1962.
      The issues with using virtual voices instead of narrators are of course the same when we look at how it will take work, true creativity and human input away from audio books.

    • Thank you. Replies from both ModR and Ilona! Hadn’t thought about the visually impaired and accessibility.

  39. I’m a little embarrassed that the BDH presumably put House Andrews in a position of feeling obliged to make publicly explicit its position on AI usage. I trust House Andrews’ integrity. And I REALLY like the cover – a lot more than the winter iteration 🙂 Thank you for sharing.

  40. Thank you for another educational snippet. I would have never thought about how an AI is ‘trained’.

  42. It looks nice. The colors match and the text is legible. You’ve picked colors as well as font that doesn’t blend into the background. It also looks “real”, and by real I mean the image is all line up and everyone’s not at a weird angle from the scenery and the other beings in it. I’ve seen a lot of book covers where the subjects in the picture are all at strange angles to the terrain and each other that is unnatural it makes my brain want to skitter sideways. I can only think it’s for dramatic purposes, but it just makes everything look warped. Nobody’s going to be walking at 75° angle from a level path when their dog is at a 45° angle looking dramatically into the distance.

  43. On a tangent, but loosely connected idea (someone mentioned the French publisher), I wanted to share my inspiration.

    I have ordered the Hidden Legacy first three books set en Francais! As a high school student I studied French, and I have decided that I need to blow the dust and rust away to find if anything is left. When we traveled to Quebec and St. Pierre in North America I was thrilled to discover that I could still read a menu and ask for as well as understand directions to the toilet.

    I have a list of things I’d like to explore including Nantes’ super sized marionettes, Martinique, several of the very early French cities, French Polynesia, the wines, the foods, so very many things.

  45. I love the cover. You did a great job. I appreciate your ethical due diligence. Would that whoever accused you had done their own due diligence. Would that everyone would do their own before posting on social media, in fact.

  46. My daughter in law is an artist. She works in advertising but also sells her own work privately. While they were visiting over the holidays AI came up in conversion. It is very disheartening when she comes across images that have been stolen of her work. Kudos for your diligence.

  47. The new cover is excellent, it pulls my interest much more to have a somewhat lush and welcoming background, than a cold and “unwelcoming” background … nice work! In past covers, you have been so appreciative of the artists you worked with, you gave us links to their websites, you praised them openly. As a “word artist” yourself, you would be sensitive to the AI issue, so it never entered my mind that you would use AI to generate art for your use. You are generous with information, with tips on writing, you gift us snippets and entire books chapter by chapter, you are kindly when replying to BDH questions. You have my respect on so many levels.

  48. I remember when AI images first became popular IA made a point of stating that they would not use it because they were unsure of the licensing and agreements from the actual authors of the work. They understand all the hard work people put into this craft and they did not want someone else to profit off of the work.

  49. Ilona, Gordon…OMG!!! Love, love, love it!!! Thank you for sharing your stories. So much love sent your way!

  50. Hi!!!! just discovered Kate Daniels last year and I have to say I love it alot, can’t wait to see what the new year will bring us. Keep up the good work and don’t let the AI fans get to you they don’t understand nothing about writting or drawing.

  52. Thanks Ilona, this post helped me IRL. I know negative zero about stock photos or editing, but needed an inspiration picture for branding a clinical study and this post was perfectly timed. Adobe stock is now a bookmark. My fav authors to the rescue again!

  53. Crap! I am so sorry you have to deal with minutiae like this. Seems like time consuming nonsense, but Iam sure to someone, it is very important. My daughter is an attorney and deals with stuff like this all day. Blessings on all of you.

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