AI photos are everywhere. Nearly every ad I come across lately on social media is an AI generated image, and while brands think they're saving money, the cost is actually significantly higher than they realize.

I and most of my friends have stopped purchasing from brands that use AI generated images, and the studies show that we're not the only ones!

Trust The Studies

• Auros and Talker Research Study (October 2026):
• Surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults and found that 43% have felt duped by AI advertisements.
• Over half of consumers do not trust products advertised with AI to match their real-world descriptions.
• 36% believe a product is of lower quality if AI is used in its marketing.

• Getty Images "Building Trust in the Age of AI" Report:
• 98% view genuine authenticity as pivotal for brand trust, and consumers consistently feel less favorable toward brands using AI to depict people or products.

• Cognizant and Poll the People Design Research:
• Cognizant’s survey revealed that 42% of consumers distrust the authenticity of AI-generated images and videos, while 23% actively avoid websites suspected of using AI content.
• Poll the People data showed that AI-generated branding concepts score 18% lower in consumer trust metrics than human-led designs.

The Reason:

To put it simply... They're fake.

And nothing you do to them will make us believe otherwise.

You're advertising an "all natural" product, but your photos aren't even "all natural" so how can consumers trust your product?

We've been surrounded by "fake" for SO long that people are now getting sick of it. Yes, you may save money initially. But only at the cost of your brands integrity. That's all. And when there is no integrity, there is no trust. If you've ever been cheated on you'll understand this.

It's sad to see so much AI use. I understand using it for data entry and things that don't have any soul or creativity to them... But using AI to create art will have far more repercussions to the human condition than we realize.

Have we lost pride in our businesses?

Have we lost pride in our names being attached to something real?

Have we lost pride in owning something that gives back to the world and promotes integrity, love, and commitment to the earth and it's residents?

We've traded money for losing the soul of our companies and brands, and it's starting to show. It isn't worth it.

So if you are a brand considering using AI images, please reconsider. You think it is saving you money, but you are losing the very thing that makes your business yours. You're losing the heart of what you've put so much work into creating.

You're losing the soul of it.

Let's bring the respect back into the arts. Let's appreciate the time it takes to create something meaningful. Let's cherish true art, instead of using AI garbage to create what human souls have been creating for centuries, all for the sheer sake of saving a dollar.

David R. Hawkins says art cannot be created without love, and when you look an an AI image vs a piece of art created by hand, the difference in frequency is profound. Let's bring the love back.

I personally will always choose love over "money."

-Carl James

Salt Lake City Utah Commercial, Branding, and Portrait Photographer