At Hawthorn & Aster, we believe in transparency, ethical artistry, and protecting the integrity of creative work—both ours and yours. This page outlines our policies and expectations regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in cover design projects.

Our Use of AI Tools

By default, all of our designs are created using non-AI-generated assets, including licensed stock photography, commercially approved fonts, and manual photo manipulation techniques.

In rare cases—and only at the explicit request of the author—we may incorporate AI-generated elements into a cover concept. When this occurs:

• The author is made fully aware of the risks, ethical considerations, and potential limitations (including distributor policies).

• The AI-generated asset is used as a base only, and is subject to extensive manual editing and photomanipulation.

• Final files are clearly marked with required copyright and attribution language, if applicable.

AI is never used to replace the work of artists. We may consider it a tool when ethically sourced and transparently credited, but never a shortcut or substitution for design expertise.

Client Submissions & AI

We understand that some authors may work with AI tools in developing their character art or concept imagery. While we do not prohibit the use of AI-generated content provided by clients, we do require the following:

• Full disclosure if any submitted assets were created using AI

• Confirmation that the client has the legal right or license to use those assets commercially

• Understanding that we may refuse to work with AI-generated assets that do not meet quality or ethical standards

Any AI-generated content provided by the client is accepted in good faith with the expectation that proper sourcing, licensing, and understanding of distributor requirements (e.g., Amazon, IngramSpark) are in place.

Protection of Our Work

Final designs created by Hawthorn & Aster may not be used to train, feed, or generate derivative content using AI tools or machine learning platforms. This includes uploading to image generators or using our work as visual input for AI-assisted production.

We retain copyright over all final designs and concepts unless otherwise agreed upon in writing.

Our Ethical Stance

We are committed to supporting real artists, licensing responsibly, and fostering a creative community built on transparency and respect. While we acknowledge the evolving nature of AI tools—including those commonly used in writing and publishing such as Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Canva’s AI features—we firmly believe in using such tools as supplements, not substitutes.

In our design work, we approach AI as a tool—not a replacement for human creativity—and always with full disclosure and artistic integrity in mind.

Every AI-related decision is made on a case-by-case basis, with care, awareness, and open dialogue. If you have questions or concerns about AI usage in your project, we are always happy to discuss them honestly and without judgment.