AI-generated images are already all over the internet, and now magazines are getting in on the act, too.
Los Angeles magazine recently released its special election issue featuring mayoral candidates Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt posing for the cover.
The choice seems obvious—local political candidates for an election issue—except the cover did not actually feature Raman and Pratt, but rather AI-generated versions of them.
As a whole, the cover looks like an obvious AI-generated collage, with Raman leaning into Pratt, and the flag of Ghana next to a burning landscape of Los Angeles in the background.
“The cover is fake. The crisis is real,” L.A. magazine said of the cover on X, aiming to paint the image as a deliberate and assertive editorial decision.
“Whether you love it, hate it, question it, or can’t stop looking at it . . . this is the L.A. we’re living in,” the publication continued.
Still, many observers weren’t convinced—or happy.
“Every time someone tries to use AI in a subversive or countercultural or ‘highbrow’ way, it looks the exact same as Facebook slop,” content creator Matt Bernstein said in a response on X. “Hire a damn artist.”
Many echoed the sentiment, calling on the publication to hire humans to design the magazine’s visuals.
“Why use AI? Real pictures of these people exist. A graphic designer could’ve done this cover relatively quickly. This type of shit is why people don’t fuck with LA mag,” a user said on X.
Another one added: “It’s funny because by using these AI pictures that don’t look like either of the candidates, it seems like the crisis is as manufactured as the cover.”
According to Page Six Hollywood, the man behind the cover is none other than the magazine’s co-owner, defense attorney Mark Geragos, who bought the media outlet in 2022. Staffers in the editorial department reportedly pushed back against the idea of using AI for the cover. And still, the image made it across the finish line.
Fast Company reached out to Los Angeles magazine for comment.
The controversial image shows more than just the mayoral candidates, with small Easter eggs scattered throughout. For instance, Raman’s jewelry has a charm that says “DSA,” for Democratic Socialists of America. Pratt has a similar charm necklace, but shaped instead as a garbage can, a reference to the candidate’s viral “take out the trash” campaign videos.
Despite such little details, the cover did not land with audiences online.
“Understood that you’re making a point about how AI is influencing this election, but IMO a reputable print publication should hire an artist for a fictional cover,” one user said on X. “IMO, this AI cover damages your reputation.”
While most reactions focused on the use of artificial intelligence for the cover, some used the viral moment as an opportunity to share how the publication’s origins don’t match its current direction.
“Not wading into the AI wars,” one user shared alongside pictures of classic L.A. magazine covers from back in the day, “but a gentle reminder that 1960s-era Los Angeles magazine was known for its striking cover art, painted by real artists.”