v2026.1CASRAI Dictionary 714 entries across 20 domains · CC-BY 4.0714 entries · CC-BY 4.0

Dictionary termTrack AStablev2026.2

AI image generation

The use of a generative model (diffusion models, GANs, autoregressive image models) to produce images from text prompts, image prompts, or other conditioning inputs, distinct from AI-assisted image editing of an existing real image.

ByCASRAI Editorial Board

· Last updated 21 May 2026

Examples

Worked examples

Is an instance
A Midjourney-generated cover illustration disclosed in the figure caption

Counter-examples

Looks similar, but isn't

Not an instance
Using Photoshop's content-aware fill to remove dust from a scanned figure (this is image editing, not generation, but disclosure of any manipulation is still required)

Editorial commentary

Most scientific journals now prohibit AI-generated images in scientific figures (figures that purport to depict data or biological structures), permit them in cover art with disclosure, and require disclosure in graphical abstracts. The boundary cases — AI-enhanced micrographs, AI-extrapolated figure portions — should be conservatively disclosed.

References

Nature Editorial Policy on Generative AI (2023)
Science Editorial Policy on AI-Generated Images (2023)

Also known as

Text-to-image · Generative image synthesis

Machine-readable encodings

Use in your systems

JATS XML <role> element

xml

<role vocab="credit"
      vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
      vocab-term="AI image generation"
      vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/ai-image-generation" />

Schema.org DefinedTerm (JSON-LD)

json

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "AI image generation",
  "identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/ai-image-generation",
  "description": "The use of a generative model (diffusion models, GANs, autoregressive image models) to produce images from text prompts, image prompts, or other conditioning inputs, distinct from AI-assisted image editing of an existing real image.",
  "inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/generative-ai-use-and-disclosure/",
  "url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/ai-image-generation",
  "sameAs": [
    "Text-to-image",
    "Generative image synthesis"
  ],
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}

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