STEALING PEOPLE’S WORK IS UNACCEPTABLE, WHETHER YOU USE AI TO ALTER IT, OR YOU ALTER IT YOURSELF:  Untouchable but real.

No, not all uses of AI are theft, anymore than your learning from published works, then writing your own is theft. BUT this case clearly is, and yes, it’s wrong. I have problems with the copyright law in the US because frankly my kids can make their own money and my grandkids, if and when, ditto. But knowing how long it takes for a career in the arts to pay at all I have to endorse some copyright so the creator (and his/her long suffering spouse) get some compensation for the years of nothing in the dark. Stealing people’s IP outright is wrong. Just wrong. Even when you don’t falsify that person’s pov.