Just got blocked by someone for asking why I should believe an article that's ostensibly good, but starts with an AI image. Once I've seen the AI image, the article is suspect, no matter how good it is. Do better, guys.
And to be very clear, the image is captioned as "AI generated." I have no idea what the article says - I didn't read it because I didn't get past the AI image.
Sep 15, 2026, 9:52 AM@HollieK72 I would do the same. It's so cringe. And useless.
@HollieK72 its not even suspect, if an article has an AI image then its almost certain the article was written with AI
and tbh even if it wasnt if someone has the audacity to add an AI image then i wouldnt even see them as a credible source anyways
@HollieK72 I have a sense that the article itself is written by “AI” too.
Not to comment on whether it’s true or false but the writing has some hallmarks. The syntax of the subheadings in particular.
@HollieK72 Even having no header-image at all, rather thsn a cheap AI-generated one, would be more enticing for readers.
@shelldozer This.
And before anyone says "but the web template FORCES you to have an image so I have no choice"
You always have a choice. Pay an artist for an image. Pay for a stock photo. Open an image editor, save a blank 1×1 PNG, upload that. You absolutely do not need to use generative AI for an article image, and if you do I will close the tab.
@mjc0961 @shelldozer Yes, all of that!
@shelldozer Exactly!
@HollieK72 well said.
The starting point for trust in an article with an AI-generated image header is "the author is fine with stealing from my friends and doesn't place any value on creativity, and they believe that everyone in the intended audience of their article thinks the same way." If they're fine with stealing from my friends, then at baseline they are not a trustworthy person, period.
@tiotasram I honestly don't know if I was blocked by someone who had just boosted the article, or if he was the slopperator who slopped it out, but he could have done better, either way.
@HollieK72 LOLLL funniest thing I've heard in a while, if something starts with a slop, anything thereof is indeed slop without the worth of needing further research, with no exception.
@andatoshiki Apparently that was enough for this one guy to block me, because this was an exception, except it wasn't.
Sep 15, 2026, 5:25 PM@HollieK72 Once the author has been compromised, everything written by it is invalid.