Truly Artificial

| tech | ai |

I’ve always been a bit turned off by the required thumbnail image that you normally see attached to a blog post. This is common in most blog themes, and is especially common in corporate blogs. My objection at the time was that the image was usually some generic nonsense that had nothing to do with the content of the post.

I feel that we may have over-corrected with the magic of AI.

Now you get very specific thumbnail images that feel like they were commissioned by an artist to attempt to tell the story of the post in a single image. I know because when I was working on the tralev project to visit every state capital, I would commission illustrations to supplement posts by guest writers.

But the AI generated images feel different. Every time I see one it feels like its way too specific. A little bit too on the nose. Instantly and truly artificial.

Thank you for reading! Share your thoughts with me on bluesky, mastodon, or via email.

Check out some more stuff to read down below.

Most popular posts this month

Recent Favorite Blog Posts

This is a collection of the last 8 posts that I bookmarked.

Articles from blogs I follow around the net

Happy Holidays 2025

It wasn't the best of times or the worst of times. Well, it might be the worst of times.

via ODonnellWeb December 25, 2025

Clear your calendar, pour a favorite beverage, and immerse yourself into the year in music with reports from Simon Collison and Jon Hicks. Fantastic every year.

via Colin Devroe December 24, 2025

On Friday Deploys: Sometimes that Puppy Needs Murdering

It's the most wonderful time of the year: the pie, the eggnog, the eternal debates over whether deploy freezes cause more harm than good. 🤶🌲

via charity.wtf December 24, 2025

Generated by openring