Trends
AI Imagery: Generate Engagement—Not Distrust
Generative AI is transforming how brand imagery is created, but not without consequences. In this article, Chris Arning examines how AI-generated imagery are reshaping consumer trust, drawing on semiotics, industry examples, and conversations with qualitative researchers. Rather than treating AI as inherently damaging, the piece argues that transparency, intent, and creative craft are the real drivers of trust. Readers will learn how consumers are beginning to question not just what images show, but how they are produced, and what this shift means for brand distinctiveness, authenticity, and qualitative interpretation in an increasingly synthetic visual landscape. […]
