I am on the fence about AI. I can see its potential as a tool to assist, but I also can see the downsides. I see more and more images, voice overs, videos, and written words that are AI generated and passed off as something they are not. Many times these AI generated things are being used to scam and or influence people. Right now, it is more or less obvious when we see something created with AI but what happens when we can’t? Where do we draw the line? I for one, do not want to mislead you, the reader, of these blog posts.

AI Ethics

In 2022, Nisha Talagala wrote a short article on Forbes about AI Ethics. What is AI and why it matters what it is. In the article, she defines AI Ethics as:

AI Ethics is the term given to a broad collection of considerations for responsible AI that combines safety, security, human concerns and environmental considerations.

She briefly talks about responsible behavior, legal issues, brand destruction, and other issues. Remember, this was in 2022 when AI was just an infant. This is 2025 and AI is everywhere! We can’t get away from it. We talk to it on the phone and at the drive through. We read it on the internet. We see pictures and video created by AI everyday. AI just didn’t pop on to the scene, AI has encircled us and that has me concerned. You can find the entire article on Forbes here.

AI on My Hoosier Homestead

My logo for My Hoosier Homestead was generated by AI. I am not an artist, and any logo I would draw would be a disaster. AI to the rescue! Right? Well, maybe. My AI generated logo is simple and doesn’t cross any moral or ethical lines. It roughly shows and describes what the website is about and what you can expect to find here. I am fine with this example of AI.

Some of the photos in the first three posts are AI generated. I don’t have many pictures of my backyard and the journey of transforming my backyard. I am an amateur photographer so I have camera equipment and will have plenty of pictures to use in the future. Okay, amateur may be stretching it a bit. Photography is a hobby and I have gone a bit crazy with photographic equipment purchases. The point I am trying to make is this — I have used AI generated photographs images to add interest to the blog posts. I think they are obviously AI when you look at them, but maybe not everyone can tell. I should have informed you when an image I used was AI and that will happen from this point forward. I will add a “”Made with AI” logo to all AI generated images I may use. If you don’t see that logo, then the images are ones that I took and those will have metadata buried underneath the code that identifies the image as copyrighted by me. If I use an image from anywhere else, I will provide credit to the copyright holder, and a link to the original if possible. If the image is copyright free, I will caption it as that.

Examples

The image below is hopefully, obviously AI generated. Going forward I will use the logo on the left as a watermark in any AI generated image I use,

I have been wrestling with the use of AI and its appropriateness being used on My Hoosier Homestead. Is it okay to use or should it be off limits? I think if AI generated anything is used, it should be used with a purpose that is educational and to inform. I will use AI as little as possible with the end goal being to eliminate issues use all together. When I do use AI, you can rest assured that I will highlight it as AI. Your trust is important to me. What do you think?

Don’t worry, this talk about AI isn’t replacing this Sunday’s article. In fact, here is a tidbit… Gardening? Homesteading? Are they the same or are they different? Check back Sunday to read what I think.

See you this Sunday!

— Greg