AI-Generated Images for Websites: Legal, Ethical and Quality Tips

Tools such as Midjourney, DALL·E and Adobe Firefly can produce striking images from a text prompt. They can save money on stock photography, but they also come with responsibilities.

Check the licence

Each tool has its own terms about commercial use, ownership and attribution. Read them before you use an image on your website or in advertising, and keep a record of which tool and plan you used.

Copyright is still evolving

Laws differ between countries, and courts are still deciding questions about how models were trained and who owns AI-generated works. Avoid prompts that imitate a living artist’s style or a specific brand, and never generate images of real people without permission.

Be honest

• Do not present AI images as real photos of your team, premises or customers.
• Avoid AI imagery in testimonials and case studies, where authenticity is the point.
• Consider a small disclosure where it matters to your audience.

Watch the quality

Look closely for odd hands, garbled text, inconsistent lighting and strange details. Edit or regenerate until it is clean, then compress and add descriptive alt text.

Where AI images work well

Abstract backgrounds, illustrations, concept visuals and mock-ups are good uses. For anything that must be real, such as your team and your work, use genuine photography.