The Problem with AI Graphics from Clients
For starters, there are legal considerations – here are some common policy guidelines:
- Usage Limitations: Some shops may ban AI images entirely, particularly for logo design, due to the inability to trademark them.
- Proof of Human Involvement: Policies may require that AI-generated images be significantly altered or integrated into a larger, human-created design, aligning with U.S. Copyright Office guidelines that allow protection for works with sufficient human creative control.
- Commercial Rights Verification: If allowed, policies often mandate that users verify the AI tool used permits commercial, not just personal, usage.
I feel it is important to draw the line (pun intended) between legal commercial high-resolution images with origin named and commercial license provable, and the stuff people are generating for personal use. The low-resolution graphics might be helpful as a reference only, as concepts for re-creation. The resolution is terrible for signs, so re-creating those graphics is a must. One way to bridge the gap right now, before your policies are in writing, is to explain “We have to recreate this graphic for our software file type, which requires in-house graphic design. Your image won’t work in signage software.” Or similar…
A sign shop policy prohibiting AI-generated images should focus on copyright ownership, image quality, and ethical standards. Because AI-generated images generally cannot be copyrighted in the U.S. and often create legal ambiguity regarding intellectual property, you can restrict them to protect your business from potential infringement claims.
Here are some example policies you may opt to use:
Example 1: Strict Ban (Focus on IP & Quality)
Customer Content & AI Policy:
“To ensure the highest quality, resolution, and legal safety of our products, [Shop Name] does not accept files generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (including but not limited to Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, Banana, etc.). All artwork submitted for print must be created, designed, or licensed by the customer. Any artwork suspected of being AI-generated will be rejected, and the order will be cancelled. We require original, high-resolution vector or raster files (AI, EPS, PDF, high-res JPG) created by human artists.”
Example 2: Legal/Ownership Focus (Focus on Liability)
Image Ownership & AI Restriction:
“[Shop Name] only reproduces images to which the customer holds full, legal copyright or a valid commercial license. As stated by the U.S. Copyright Office, works solely generated by AI are not eligible for copyright protection and are often derived from unlicensed data. Therefore, we cannot accept, print, or edit images that are solely or predominantly produced via AI tools. By submitting files, you warrant that your files are not AI-generated, and you agree to indemnify [Shop Name] against any IP infringement claims.”
Example 3: Disclosure & Review Basis (Flexible)
AI Image Guidelines:
“While we prefer original human-created art, [Shop Name] may accept AI-assisted imagery on a case-by-case basis, provided it has been heavily modified by a human designer and is not a direct, unmodified output from an AI generator. Customers must disclose if AI tools were used in the creation of their artwork. The customer assumes all risks regarding the copyrightability and potential infringement of AI-generated assets, and we reserve the right to refuse any artwork that does not meet our minimum quality standards.”
It’s like we have gone back in time, when every day was spent educating the customer about vinyl “It’s thinner than paint, and lasts much longer.” Now, 40 years later, we are educating our clients about AI generated art…
Header image by Susana Cipriano from Pixabay
