I was on the fence about using AI to create images, but I figured as long as it’s just for fun and not part of the official novel, what could possibly go wrong? Spoiler alert: a lot. Apparently, AI has its own idea of what "realistic" looks like—and sometimes it’s completely off the rails. I had no idea how many “What even is this?” moments I’d have. Here are some of my favorite AI bloopers that had me and my editor Anne cracking up—and let’s be honest, a blooper reel seemed like a very necessary evil. So, without further ado, here are the most insane AI creations that came out while I was trying to bring the cops, dommes, and suspects of Tickled to Death to life. Prepare yourselves for some hilariously absurd visual chaos!
Gino – Apparently, being sleazy, greasy, or a stereotypical Italian violates AI guidelines, but lobster claws for hands? Oh yeah, that’s totally fine in the AI world. My exact request was for an angry, plus-size Italian cooking seafood. What did I get? A lobster-hand-wielding chef. If Gino had any idea what AI thought of him, he’d probably serve them a side of revenge with extra butter.
Carol – For my first attempt at creating Carol, I specifically wanted to include the gold cross she wears in every scene. What did AI give me? Reverend Carol, complete with a collar and an aura of holiness that had me questioning if she was about to start a sermon instead of, you know, plotting murder. I had to throw in the towel pretty quickly on that one—apparently, AI has a divine sense of humor.
Sally – I asked for an uptight blonde in a black business suit looking annoyed. What did I get? Two people. One was a beatnik who looked like they were about to drop a poetry slam, and the other was a blonde holding an oversized bottle of beer, like she was ready to party in the middle of a board meeting. I still have no idea how AI made that leap, but maybe it knew Sally had a thing for younger men—though, at the time, I hadn’t spilled the beans on that yet. Guess AI’s got some insider info.
Lisa – Technically, yes, AI did deliver on a woman with long brown hair scowling in a toga, but what I got wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. Apparently, AI decided to throw in a whole anime twist for good measure. Instead of the sultry, disgruntled casino hostess I envisioned, I got a character who looked like she was about to drop a dramatic battle cry in the middle of an ancient Roman fight scene. Not exactly the vibe I was going for, but hey, at least she was scowling.
The Bullshot Saloon – Even the scenery turned into a wild ride with AI. I asked for a saloon in the heart of Atlantic City, and what did I get? A ghost town bar straight out of the Wild West. Apparently, AI thought I was writing a spaghetti western, not a murder mystery set in the bright lights of Atlantic City. It’s like they got so caught up in the “saloon” part that they forgot there shouldn't be tumbleweeds rolling through.
Granger / Master Ranger– I’m still not sure how AI turned Granger into a character straight out of Street Fighter, but all I could think was, Guile. Seriously, I was getting major Sonic Boom vibes from him. Just me? Maybe it’s because I’m a Gen Xer, but I half-expected Granger to start throwing hadoukens and shoryukens at the suspects instead of solving a murder. I mean, who knew AI was so into fighting game nostalgia?
Jeremy / One Nip – I mean… really, AI? This is so close to a Hulk copyright violation that I’m surprised Marvel hasn’t shown up at my door yet. Is this seriously your idea of a muscular ginger? And as Anne pointed out, where the heck is One Nip supposed to buy his shirts? Apparently, AI thinks his pecs are too big for any normal fabric to handle, so it just skipped that whole "clothing" detail. Guess we’ll have to send him to a specialty store for extra-large t-shirts.
Hashim – Maybe it’s the dad jokes? Maybe AI knew the gang loves karaoke, but how in the world did my detective of Middle Eastern descent end up holding a mic? I mean, sure, Hashim has a voice, but I wasn’t planning on him singing his way through the case. AI took “detective” and turned it into “karaoke superstar”, like he’s about to drop a power ballad in the middle of an interrogation. Guess it’s all part of Hashim’s charming multitalented persona.
Jason – You’d think a generic blonde cop would be easy, right? WRONG. I just wanted to add a few tattoos, and suddenly AI turned him into a heroin addict. When I asked for clean shaven, AI decided to send him back to the police academy. But the real kicker? When I specifically asked for no facial hair and got... an invisible freaking detective. What the actual hell, AI? It’s like I asked for a cop and got a ghost on a stakeout instead. Maybe next time I’ll try asking for a blonde with tattoos and no weird supernatural powers.
These were just some of my favorite screw-ups. It took three days and a lot of failed attempts before I finally got images that mostly matched my vision. The kicker, though, is that despite all the very strict guidelines flagging words like attractive, voluptuous, and sleazy, AI had no problem creating my furry expert Daphne. It captured her perfectly my first try! What a wild ride! I learned a lot about AI, but I can promise you this: my books and covers will always be 100% human-created! Big thanks to my editor Anne, not just for inspiring this fun post, but for being the brilliant mastermind behind the Tickled to Death cover and for tirelessly editing my work. Tickled to Death and the Doms wouldn’t be nearly as kinky without her. So, here’s to human creativity—AI can keep the invisible detective and ginger Hulk. We’re sticking with real talent.
Grab a copy of Tickled to Death today. Available exclusively on Amazon.
**Image generated by Microsoft Copilot AI.**
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