Since I’ve begun actively posting anti-AI content, I think it’s time I made this statement.

Eternity’s Irys is 0% written by AI. For better or worse, I wrote every word of it.

I did use the assistance of ProWritingAid for some editing. I mostly took it’s marks under advisement and did what I wanted with it’s feedback. Very rarely did I accept its solutions at face value. I am uncertain of my future use of this tool.

The stand-in cover was AI generated, but it now only exists on my personal copies. The homepage has been updated with the rough draft of the retail cover. The site icon has also been updated using art of my own.

I have replaced the AI generated character portraits with old designs I drew up back in “The Q’taxians” era. They’re not the best representations, but they’re something.

All ancillary imagery on the site has been removed or replaced with art I can link back to a human creator. I may still dip into stock imagery from time to time, but I’m up in the air about that for reasons completely unrelated to this topic.

As of September of 2024, all art is now professionally created by Rhett (@fire_locket). Thanks to them, the cover is now completely original, character art has been updated, and all accent pieces including the site icon, have been replaced with high quality human-made art. The only thing that remains NOT made by Rhett is the little flower gif on the home page. That was made with stock images via Canva.

As amazing as it was to put AI to some use, it still left me feeling “dirty”. Almost all of my AI imagery was generated before I understood what was actually going on, how it really worked. As I’ve learned, I’ve begun distancing myself from any AI applications.

I was one of those “I can’t draw, but at least now I can have some art!” types. I had no plans to sell it besides the cover as a part of my book. Then it came for authors. AI “written” books started flooding the market. I’m sorry it took this and not the contentions of artists for me to see the light of day. When I realized how against AI “writing” I was, I knew I had to be anti AI art too. I also became increasingly aware of the poor/uncanny quality of all AI generated creative content. I went from “it looks good enough!” to “wow could it get any more lifeless?”

I used to be among the crowd that argued human artists had nothing to fear and if they were good enough, they’d shine well above the AI stuff. I was wrong, and for that, I am sorry. All art, no matter the quality, deserves a place of higher appreciation than anything generated by AI.

Somehow this revelation gave me some confidence in my own rudimentary drawings as well.

Since making the connection with my illustrator, Rhett, I’ve felt more and more comfortable with this decision. I understand this does put me in somewhat of a place of privilege, but it’s with this privilege that I can try to make a difference in the creative industry, even if it’s microscopic and goes unnoticed. My conscience and my project will be truly human made. And that’s what matters the most to me.

When I first generated Sylus with AI, it made me so damn happy. But it wasn’t truly him. It was an approximation and I assumed that was the best I’d ever get. Rhett has proved me wrong and I couldn’t be happier. A sketch from them has more heart and soul than anything AI could create.

Going forward, I have sworn off knowingly using any AI in any of my content.

Art plays a huge part in Eternity’s Irys. It’s the human element that makes it magical. The mortal experience. If I’m going to write about it, I have to live it fully. There is no art without a human’s involvement. Images and text blocks, sure. But art? No. Never.

I am well aware that AI is here to stay and its getting more and more accurate and life-like. I, personally, find this more disturbing than hopeful. I’m not here to fight the future, but I am here to preserve the present for as long as I can.

This is a personal choice I have no intention of forcing onto anyone else. I understand it may result in yet more shooting of myself in the foot down the line, but I’m willing to accept that.

Humans first, in all things.

Thank you all for your understanding.

**** September 2024 UPDATE: All art is now the product of Rhett (@fire_locket). The cover has been fully replaced, character art has been updated, and all accents including the site icon have been entirely sourced from the same human being. There is ZERO AI content left on this site! ****

🦑💜🦇

PS: I’m not here to argue the concept of developing “sentience”. That’s an entirely different topic.