At this time, the Quest is experimenting with AI tools, and may update this policy in the future.
We may use AI tools to modify, filter, or even generate images, as we have done with author bio photos throughout the site, which are based on real photographs that have been recolored and retextured using the “Pen Art” tool developed by BeFunky.
We will not, however, generate images that could in any way be reasonably mistaken for real photographs, unless this is the point of a given piece, such as in a “can you tell the difference between AI and real life?” story. This is why, at this time, we only plan to use AI tools to filter existing photos for aesthetic or rhetorical effect, as we have done with the author bio photos.
We will not, as a general policy, use AI tools to generate original images in bulk, and will strive to employ real artists and illustrators whenever practical.
We will never use AI to generate text, unless this is the point of a given story, as described above. We will not accept submissions written partially or fully by AI, and will consider this to be plagiarism.
When AI is used, we will always declare it and place a disclaimer identifying the tool used and the developer in immediate proximity to the generated or modified material.