AI-generated images have quietly become the default filler for sites that can't afford photography. Used deliberately, they solve real problems. Used lazily, they're the six-fingered handshake that tells readers nobody real works here. The distinction is in where and how you deploy them.
The policy picture
Search engines don't prohibit AI imagery; AdSense doesn't either — the policies care about deception, rights and quality, not the tool. The obligations that do apply: don't pass generated images off as real photography of real people or events (that's the deception line), respect platform terms on recognizable styles and trademarks, and keep license records for the generator you used. For YMYL-adjacent content, a generated medical diagram is a credibility risk even where it's technically permitted — accuracy matters more than availability.
Where generated images work
Abstract and conceptual covers: gradients, illustrations, stylized scenes — the jobs stock photography always faked anyway. Diagrams rebuilt as clean illustrations: a generated representation of a process (clearly labeled as illustrative) beats nothing or a copyrighted steal. Brand-consistent visuals at scale: one trained style across a site's covers looks more professional than fifty mismatched stock photos.
Where they cheapen
Anything claiming to be documentary: "our office", "our team", "our workshop" — generated humans in those slots are detectable and trust-killing. Product reviews: a generated photo of the product you're reviewing is a lie with a caption. Instructional content where precision matters — screenshots and real photos carry information that prettified approximations destroy.
The practice that works
Treat generated images like illustrations, not photographs: label when ambiguity is possible, compress them like any other asset (they're often absurdly heavy), and build a consistent style so they read as design choices rather than budget confessions. The winning mix for most sites is unglamorous: real screenshots, real photos where the article touches reality, generated art where decoration is the job.
