Can I Use AI-Generated Illustrations Commercially?
TL;DR:Yes, AI-generated illustrations can be used commercially in books you sell.Copyright protection for the illustrations themselves may be limited, but you can legally use them in commercial products.
Yes, you can use AI-generated images commercially — but there are two separate considerations: licensing and copyright.
1. Licensing (Can you use the image in a book you sell?)
In most modern publishing tools, including Storyloft, the answer is yes. The models used are licensed for commercial use, meaning you can legally include generated images in books you sell.
However, if you use external AI tools, always check the model’s license. Some older or open-source models restrict commercial usage.
2. Copyright (Can you stop others from using the image?)
This is more complex. Under current U.S. guidance, purely AI-generated images may not qualify for copyright protection.
- You can use and sell the images
- But you may not be able to prevent others from reproducing similar images
What this means in practice:
- Interior illustrations: Usually low risk — exclusivity is rarely important
- Cover art: Higher importance — unique branding may require human-created design
Your book as a whole is still protected. Even if individual images are not copyrightable, your creative decisions — including selection, placement, and integration with text — are protected.
This was reinforced in the “Zarya of the Dawn” case, where the arrangement of AI-generated images within a graphic novel was protected, even though the images themselves were not.
Bottom line: You can legally sell AI-generated illustrations, but they may not be exclusively protectable like commissioned artwork.
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