With so many AI tools popping up in photo editing apps, it’s tempting to lean on the technology to gussy up your less-than-stunning images. These features can help you do everything from cleaning up or removing backgrounds to deleting distracting objects and people, changing facial features, adding elements, and more. Whenever you use AI to change a photo in any way, you should always indicate as much, using features such as Adobe’s Content Credentials. But even those acknowledgments don't excuse the use of AI in cases in which authenticity takes precedence over aesthetics. Below are the types of photos you should never run through AI tools.
1. Government ID Photos: The Feds Will Reject Your AI Glow-Up #
You might find it tempting to make yourself look better in the picture that graces your driver's license or passport, since many people will likely see it for years. However, government agencies can detect AI-generated imagery, so there’s a good chance they will reject a photo with even minimal AI enhancements. Don't bother giving yourself a fake smile, or let alone adding a hat or glasses. Doing so will be to your detriment.
2. Wildlife Photos: Purists (and Scientists) Want Reality, Not AI Slop #
Scientific organizations and nature enthusiasts want to see the real deal. Some tools, like Super Focus in Topaz Photo, aim to make your subject appear sharper, but end up generating AI content that's inconsistent with reality. In the photo composite below, you can see how the added feather detail gives the bird an artificial look:
3. News and Journalism: Manipulating the Truth Is an Ethical (and Legal) Minefield #
This is arguably the most important item on the list. Using an AI-manipulated photo in a piece of journalism is akin to plagiarism. Not only are the images not copyrightable, but they can also expose you to defamation or fraud charges. Federal laws around deepfake regulations are still in development, but many state laws are already in place.
4. Product Shots: Fake Details Lead to False Advertising #
If PCMag were to publish photos of a laptop that we doctored with AI tools, we would lose all credibility. The same goes for any commercial use of product images for marketing. If you do publish a fake image, your firm is likely to earn a reputation for false advertising.
5. Artistic Photography: Don't Let an Algorithm Rob Your Originality #
Be a true artist when you have a vision or perspective you want to share with the world. Don’t take the lazy route by letting AI do the creative work for you. You can’t copyright an AI-generated image, and you might even be violating other entities’ copyrights with any content you generate. To prevent anyone from stealing your creative work, protect it with Content Credentials or other metadata that prevents AI models from ingesting it for model training.
6. Portraits: Blemishes Out, Original Features In #
Portrait photography is more of a gray area than most of the other categories here. Of course, one of the goals of portraiture is to beautify the subject and present them in the best possible way. But I suggest using only standard retouching tools to improve lighting, remove temporary blemishes, smooth skin, and so on. Modern AI tools can actually reshape facial or body features, which I consider a no-no. The same goes for corporate headshots, a subset of portraiture. The world has enough heavily doctored photos of people; don't add more to the pile.
7. Real Estate Images: Don't Catfish Homebuyers #
Just as with news or product shots, you shouldn't misrepresent how a property or room looks with AI tools. However, I concede that it's OK for real estate professionals to show how a space would look with different furniture or accessories, so long as they don't distort the room's size or the furniture's dimensions. They also need to include a disclaimer on any AI-enhanced images. If real estate agents don't follow these rules, potential clients are likely to feel misled when viewing the actual property. Worse, you might earn a reputation for being untrustworthy.