AI-generated photos aren’t simply science fiction anymore. Electronic mail entrepreneurs use them day-after-day to create visuals that look professionally shot, they usually do it in minutes.
The tech behind these photos has quickly improved. In lots of instances, it’s even ok to switch conventional images. However right here’s the catch: Simply because one thing seems practical, that doesn’t imply it’s secure to make use of.
When utilizing AI-generated photos, entrepreneurs typically encounter issues with accuracy, the proper to make use of an individual’s likeness, and unclear workflows. On this article, I clarify how far we’ve include AI picture era for e-mail advertising, what’s working nicely right this moment, and what nonetheless wants checking out — particularly from a authorized and moral standpoint.
Key takeaway:
AI-generated photos have reached a degree the place they’ll realistically exchange conventional photoshoots in lots of advertising conditions, particularly in e-mail campaigns. However don’t count on magic from a single click on. Instruments like ChatGPT-4o assist entrepreneurs shortly create practical visuals, however points round rights to likenesses, copyright, and moral use haven’t absolutely caught up but. So, in 2025, AI-generated photorealistic photos work finest when entrepreneurs handle them carefully, take note of authorized particulars, and preserve branding constant.
Our inner take a look at: Changing inventory with photorealistic GenAI
We not too long ago examined the extent of GenAI picture era to see whether or not we might use it for several types of content material (emails, notably webinars, newsletters, articles, and many others.). We wished to see how far progress had superior since our final take a look at and whether or not we might absolutely exchange inventory images and customized photoshoots. Our major instrument was ChatGPT-4o, a strong GenAI platform that may shortly produce practical photos based mostly on particular prompts.
Right here’s how our workflow regarded:
First, we entered an in depth immediate in ChatGPT-4o, describing precisely what we wished. As an example, to advertise a webinar, we would ask for a sensible, professional-looking speaker from a photograph instance (we used our CEO) with a stage within the background. If we would have liked an editorial-style picture for a publication, we would ask for visuals reflecting seasonal or industry-specific themes.
As soon as ChatGPT-4o generated the primary picture, we reviewed it fastidiously. Normally, the preliminary model was stable — ok for speedy use — but it surely was hardly ever good on the primary attempt. Minor particulars comparable to facial expressions typically wanted to be adjusted.
After reviewing, we refined the prompts to get nearer to our desired picture. Usually, we’d want two or three rounds of adjusting the textual content enter to realize a end result ok for remaining use. Even after producing the absolute best model from ChatGPT-4o.
Our major remark was easy: Producing professional-quality AI photos has change into less complicated, sooner, and extra dependable than ever earlier than. But, it’s not as simple as clicking a button and getting an ideal picture instantly. Just a little human enter and fine-tuning are nonetheless crucial.
These are the sorts of photos we efficiently created utilizing this workflow with immediate examples:
Immediate instance:
“Generate an expert enterprise portrait of me smiling with brief brown wavy hair, sporting a proper blue shirt with refined Ukrainian embroidery, confidently dealing with barely towards the aspect. Clear, delicate studio lighting, impartial pastel or workplace surroundings background, extremely detailed facial options, webinar-ready skilled fashion, high-resolution digital picture, e-mail advertising promotional picture for a webinar.”
Immediate instance:
“Generate a picture of me as a passionate, expressive speaker delivering a presentation at a dwell webinar, like in my first picture, however make my material like from the second (with a conventional blue embroidered Ukrainian shirt (vyshyvanka) with geometric patterns across the collar), with a headset microphone, actively gesturing with my proper hand whereas holding a small presentation clicker. Blurred background with a presentation on e-mail advertising, skilled webinar stage with delicate, centered spotlight-style lighting emphasizing the speaker. Seize pure expressions and interesting physique language, photorealistic fashion, skilled occasion ambiance.”
On this instance, we used a number of photographs to see how they might be mixed in accordance with the outline.
Immediate instance:
“Generate a vibrant, business-style picture of me exhibiting pleasure and success, broadly smiling, fists raised joyfully to convey achievement or celebration. I’m sporting a blue embroidered conventional Ukrainian shirt (vyshyvanka). Make the background larger and extra skilled. The background ought to function an expert webinar stage with delicate, centered spotlight-style lighting. Associated to e-mail advertising that might be utilized in a promotional picture for a webinar. Seize clear, joyful facial expressions, heat, inviting colours, and professional-level picture decision.”
Within the final immediate, the requests have been the identical; solely the garments’ colours and patterns have been modified to indicate how the GenAI handles this. Equally, you possibly can change the background and background shade, match it to model strains, give examples, and set the route within the textual content.
In brief, our inner testing confirmed us that photorealistic AI imagery has actual potential for e-mail advertising right this moment if entrepreneurs use the proper method. GenAI can successfully exchange conventional images in lots of instances, but it surely’s not fairly computerized but. You continue to want a human eye to make sure high quality, model alignment, and accuracy.
The place we are actually in 2025: The AI imagery panorama
Adoption and belief
AI-generated visuals have gotten widespread in advertising circles. Practically half (49%) of entrepreneurs use AI each day to create photos or movies. Entrepreneurs have accepted AI visuals as a sensible, on a regular basis answer reasonably than an experimental novelty. Belief in AI-generated photos has grown, though entrepreneurs stay cautious about relying solely on automated outputs for essential model visuals or high-profile campaigns.
Progress since 2023
AI-generated picture high quality has improved considerably since 2023. Again then, odd-looking palms, mismatched eyes, or unusual lighting have been widespread giveaways. At the moment, these points have change into uncommon. Newer fashions precisely deal with advanced lighting, reflections, and refined textures. For instance, creating visuals with , clear background, in addition to textual content and shade choice, is already an enchancment, since GenAI was beforehand unable to pick out the mandatory colours and had apparent issues producing textual content on photos.
AI picture instruments have additionally change into a part of entrepreneurs’ each day workflows. Well-liked design software program, e-mail builders, and content material administration techniques (CMS) have built-in GenAI straight into their interfaces. Now, practical visuals are generated with the instruments entrepreneurs already use. This built-in comfort quickens campaigns and simplifies workflows.
“Virtually the Identical”: Why AI photos don’t precisely match
AI-generated photos may appear related every time, however they’re by no means equivalent. That is on function. Builders deliberately designed GenAI fashions to create variations, not exact duplicates. Every new picture, even with the very same immediate, can have slight variations.
One cause for these variations is built-in randomness, a core design factor of GenAI. Another excuse entails authorized and moral safeguards. Instruments keep away from producing actual matches of actual individuals’s faces or copyrighted photos, minimizing dangers like deepfake abuse or copyright infringement.
Consider how ChatGPT rewrites textual content. Every try is analogous however by no means equivalent. AI visuals comply with the identical precept. They’re dependable for producing constant themes or kinds, but entrepreneurs shouldn’t count on completely matching duplicates from one try to a different. This limitation isn’t going away quickly, which makes human oversight important.
Are you able to make it good? Face alternative and workflow ideas
In the event you intention for actually customized photos, face-swapping instruments assist shut the hole between AI-generated visuals and actuality. Software program like DeepFaceLive, Remaker AI, and InSwapper_128 (often talked about on Reddit and group boards) permits you to superimpose faces from precise photographs on AI-generated backgrounds. This method provides realism to portraits, making expressions like real smiles and pure gestures extra plausible.
But it surely’s not foolproof. To make these swapped photos convincing, entrepreneurs nonetheless have to manually regulate components like lighting, angles, and colours. High quality assurance is essential to make sure nothing seems misplaced. Face-swapping offers entrepreneurs a sensible methodology for personalizing inner visuals or workforce imagery, however solely when fastidiously checked to align with model pointers.
Use GenAI responsibly in emails
AI photos can pace up your course of, however how you utilize them issues. Listed below are just a few guidelines that assist preserve your e-mail content material each authorized and on-brand:
safe picture rights. In the event you’re utilizing an actual individual’s face or likeness, even your individual picture or a workers member’s, get clear consent. AI doesn’t erase the necessity for permission;
take a look at your visuals. Earlier than sending, examine how your viewers reacts. Run small assessments to see if the picture feels relatable, reliable, or off-putting. An excellent picture isn’t simply practical, it wants to attach;
combine actual with GenAI. Use actual product photographs and logos alongside generated backdrops. That manner, your visuals keep grounded in actuality whereas nonetheless benefiting from AI pace and suppleness;
keep away from visible purple flags. Over-symmetrical faces, plastic-like pores and skin, or unusual palms can break belief quick. AI has improved, but it surely’s not flawless, and folks discover;
at all times add human QA. Closing modifying, shade adjustment, and branding tweaks nonetheless want an actual eye. Don’t skip this step if you’d like your emails to look sharp and really feel dependable.
Fashion variations: One picture, many prospects
We didn’t cease at face era. In our inner assessments, we additionally experimented with altering present photographs’ kinds to match totally different advertising themes, kinds and vibes.
Listed below are just a few examples that we examined:
Immediate instance:
“An anime-style illustration impressed by Studio Ghibli, that includes [scene description]. Comfortable painterly background, detailed structure or inside, heat pure mild. Characters have expressive eyes, clear outlines, and emotional realism. The temper is cinematic and immersive — within the fashion of Spirited Away or Howl’s Shifting Fort.”
Immediate instance:
“A heat and expressive Disney-style cartoon illustration of [scene description]. It options giant expressive eyes, clear character outlines, delicate cell shading, and vibrant colours. The background has a lightweight, magical ambiance with particulars of storytelling. The fashion is much like traditional or trendy Disney animation (e.g., Tangled, Encanto, or Zootopia).”
Immediate instance:
“An in depth Lego diorama of [scene description]. All characters are rendered as Lego minifigures with molded plastic faces and distinct facial expressions. The surroundings is absolutely constructed from Lego items: chairs, background, furnishings, and props. Extremely detailed, practical lighting, miniature scale, and barely shiny textures.”
Immediate instance:
“A cheerful felt puppet-style recreation of [scene description], like a scene from The Muppets. Every character is product of soft-textured felt or fleece cloth, with stitched seams, giant expressive plastic eyes, and foam mouths. The background is a colourful puppet stage with theatrical lighting and handmade props.”
Immediate instance:
“A stylized origami paper illustration of [scene description]. The characters and background seem folded from textured paper with seen creases and geometric shapes. Flat paper tones with mild shadows. Comfortable pure lighting on a minimalist background. Stylized like handcrafted Japanese origami or papercraft diorama.”
How e-mail advertising advantages from generative AI
Visible demand is fixed in e-mail
Electronic mail advertising thrives on recent visuals. Each marketing campaign wants enticing headers, banners, seasonal photos, product pictures, and localized content material to maintain subscribers engaged. Conventional images can sluggish your workflow as a result of shoots take planning, time, and cash.
AI-generated photos pace issues up considerably. You may create visuals in minutes, making it simple to maintain your content material recent. This additionally permits you to take a look at many picture variations shortly (good for A/B testing) with out additional prices. Total, GenAI saves money and time in comparison with hiring photographers and organizing picture periods for every marketing campaign.
Use instances in our e-mail workflow
We’ve examined AI-generated visuals throughout a number of e-mail advertising eventualities and located actual, sensible advantages. Listed below are a number of the methods through which we’ve used them:
webinar promotions: Created practical speaker portraits with AI-generated backgrounds like skilled levels, lighting setups, and branded environments — no studio reserving required;
occasion recaps: Designed trendy recap visuals with refined post-edits to match the tone of every occasion (e.g., awards, panels, and coaching);
seasonal campaigns: Generated themed visuals for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas — full with matching colours, decorations, and product placement;
editorial publication covers: Produced polished hero photos for article-driven newsletters, adapting to every matter’s temper — from formal to artistic;
modular template blocks: Constructed reusable, visually constant content material blocks (e.g., sale banners and product showcases) utilizing AI-generated imagery tailor-made to particular promotions or traits;
localization-ready visuals: Generated location-specific imagery to personalize campaigns for various areas with no need separate shoots or property.
Authorized and moral friction: GenAI is advancing sooner than coverage
Legal guidelines are catching up slowly
Whereas utilizing AI-generated photos has change into commonplace follow, the authorized panorama nonetheless lags behind. You would possibly discover that many older assets on AI insurance policies are disappearing or outdated, reflecting how unstable and unclear rules stay globally. Proper now, there’s no unified authorized commonplace protecting essential features like possession of somebody’s likeness, permissions for face or voice cloning in business supplies, or the secure use of artificial photos in promoting.
Whereas some international locations and states are introducing focused legal guidelines, these stay restricted in scope. Electronic mail entrepreneurs face uncertainty as a result of present guidelines weren’t constructed with AI visuals in thoughts, leaving grey areas round what’s allowed and what might create authorized hassle.
Actual danger areas for e-mail entrepreneurs
Electronic mail entrepreneurs ought to pay shut consideration to sure dangerous practices. Utilizing workforce members’ photographs in AI-generated headers with out specific consent can result in privateness violations or authorized disputes. Equally, visuals strongly impressed by inventory photos or recognizable works danger infringement claims — even when they’re AI-generated and barely altered.
Moreover, emails containing AI-generated content material can create belief points with subscribers. Credibility takes a success if recipients uncover visuals aren’t real with out prior transparency. Being clear about your use of AI visuals and double-checking your rights to each picture is essential to avoiding expensive errors.
Wrapping up
Can photorealistic AI photos exchange conventional visuals in e-mail advertising? In lots of instances, sure.
AI can save time and increase artistic choices if you happen to’re constructing marketing campaign headers, seasonal blocks, speaker sections, or editorial visuals. It really works particularly nicely when pace, variation, and scale matter.
However for high-stakes campaigns, like premium product launches or brand-defining hero banners, the dangers round copyright, likeness, and tone nonetheless make full GenAI alternative a stretch. In such instances, human management, constant styling, and authorized readability are nonetheless required.
One of the best method proper now’s hybrid:
use AI to generate versatile, scalable base visuals;
layer in actual property or polish with handbook tweaks;
use ChatGPT 4o for ideation, format, and picture route, not end-to-end manufacturing.
Prompting has change into simply as useful as picture modifying. The ability is much less about mastering one instrument and extra about figuring out what to ask, what to maintain, and when to change gears.
In the long run, outcomes matter greater than the tactic. GenAI is right here to remain — now it is as much as entrepreneurs to form the way it matches into artistic workflows.
Attempt AI-generated visuals in your subsequent e-mail