AI and background images

I have no problem with people expressing their opinions on the use of AI or anything else. But in this instance, there is a but. Arguments, reasonable arguments, regarding the use of AI have been made from both sides, so I will say this to those entrenched on one side or the other: your voices have been heard, clearly and repeatedly (inside and outside of this thread). To continue revisiting it at this point is counterproductive.

This is no longer a helpful or healthy thread. And the truth is, no matter what Zach decides to do at this point, people will be upset, but I would like to gently remind everyone that this place is Zach's baby to do with as he likes. It is Zach who pours his blood, sweat, tears, money, time, effort, and love into this site. And it is HIS keester on the line when it comes to making decisions concerning intellectual property decisions, and that needs to be remembered and respected.

Both he, and Lear, have expressed why AI makes sense. At a certain point, enough needs to be enough. Feelings are being hurt and patience is running thin. I think the only mistake Zach made was asking the community about it, and I do not say that lightly. It is more likely than not that if he does decide to allow AI images, those upset by it will remain on site. And the opposite is true if he decides to use bare backgrounds. People will stay, and you know why? Because this is a collaborative writing site first and foremost that values writing, creativity, AND community. Thought as to what kind of "feels" are being tossed out into the community we each love might ought to be given a little more regard here than I think is being done, especially if most of us in here will be around long after this subject is old news.

As someone I love and respect here says, "Be kind to one another."

AngelFyre McCubbin wrote: 25 Jul 2026, 23:04 I think the only mistake Zach made was asking the community about it, and I do not say that lightly.

Respectfully, I disagree. The community on this site is a huge, probably the biggest part of why we all love this place so much, it's certainly the reason I've stuck around for over six years. The community is the soul of this site. I don't think that caring about that and wanting to keep that alive by asking our opinion on major changes that affect this community is a mistake. If anything, I think it's a huge mark in Zach's favour.

This is Zach’s baby. Alright.

Zach gave birth for it, Zach provides it with all its material needs. So Zach keeps this baby fed, changes its diapers, etc. But a baby has teachers, influences, whether from real people or the things it consumes.

The baby’s life can be sustained solely on what Zach is doing, but it is community, from the input of members to the guidance of staff, that makes it so much more. That gives the baby personality, values, and a soul beyond upkeep and dreams.

Involving a community on a decision that impacts everyone is not a mistake.

I believe this thread is not a source of drama but the discussion that has been asked for. And I really appreciate Zach for opening this discussion.

We have already gotten to the point of people posting for anonymous users because they don't want the be called out / rebuked. If people have to make a point about "I'm sorry if my tone is rude/mean," maybe rethink posting it or change the phrasing. Almost all solutions have been suggested, and yeah, people want to share their voice, but if your point your bringing up has been stated...

I know members PLURAL that have been blocked / left the site due to the treatment of them here and throughout. As someone on the pro AI side, I myself am somewhat hesitant to post this due to the sheer outrage against the tool. But I agree with AngelFyre. This is a discussion that is no longer helping.

No matter what side your on, make sure your post sounds less like a toxic mom and more like a encouraging yet slightly reprimanding friend

This website was created with the intention of fostering a community. Without community input, the website loses its sole purpose. The people in this thread have every right to be principled and to rally for what aligns with the greater community’s morals and values. That’s my two cents.

As much as I agree with the value of community discussion (it IS very important, the community should have a voice), and as much as I think that there are a lot of fair points being said, and as much as I know that the anti-AI members feel very strongly about it....

I wish I knew the right words to express how the thread makes me feel. This thread has 184 posts...every possible point has been stated and re-stated over and over again, even though it was clear that the thread was causing upset a long time ago. Even though it was said that we were going to have a poll at a later date so everybody's voices would be heard.

People say they respect the time and effort that is put into this site but from the way people talk about it it really does not always feel that way to me. Yes we might not like everything, and yes the community should have a voice, of course. Nobody is saying the community is not important.

But to me, the feelings of the people who are tirelessly working to keep the site running (like an insane amount, like idk how Lear even has time to breathe, much less work a full-time job on top of this) matter too, more than a couple AI images. Yes, the principles that people are fighting for may be valid, and may feel very important, but anybody who's ever made a Google search is using AI power daily. Anybody who ever eats a cheeseburger is supporting immoral practices, and ALSO supporting an industry which is horrible for the environment.

Yes, you can have principles, and principles are good. But also, I feel like if this site actually means something to everyone, as it definitely does for me, Zach's feelings matter a whole lot. He is NOT an AI, he is a human, a human who puts so much work into running this site. If this thread was affecting him enough to step away 11 pages ago, I wish we could just think more about how this all might be making him feel. I know that how the community feels is also important, but it just feels like people are not caring about how making somebody feel like the whole site is against them is also hurtful, especially considering its been mentioned that he had been receiving private message as well as the 19 pages of messages in this thread. Like I wish that would make us reflect more. If we're talking about morals I wish we'd think more of the admin who have been hurt and treated unkindly who work as hard for us as anyone I've seen. I know people don't INTEND to be unkind but having the admin be piled on to this degree for hundreds of messages, plus whatever they're receiving privately, even after they've expressed their hurt, will still feel bad. Everyone is going to get a chance to vote but we should at least remember to look at each other as people and to take that in mind before we act.

I do love the site and community which is why I want us to have a voice but I also want us to be aware of the hurt we may be causing in our friends and those who keep this community running.

Just because multiple people have proposed or shown support for the same solutions doesn't make those suggestions pointless; if anything, I'd argue that the repetition is an indicator of community support and valuable feedback. Yes, quantity alone doesn't always indicate quality, but that's exactly why people's responses should be read properly and evaluated on their merits rather than dismissed because similar points have already been made.

And, respectfully, the idea that giving the community a voice was somehow a mistake is questionable. What has made this community great over the years is that people have been able to openly express their opinions (even when they differ greatly) and contribute to discussions about the site, as Zach has invited us to do here.

A discussion was opened up, so people are discussing it. Just because the community response wasn’t the ideal one doesn’t mean it needs to be shut down.

It’s not just about the appearance of AI on-site. It is what the active, formal usage of AI as an official piece of the site represents to the community. It is an automatic shift in what the site represents and stands for. This isn’t an attempt to demoralize Zach or anyone using AI on-site, all I’m attempting to do is emphasize the reason why so many people are frustrated by this.

I always disliked Mini-modding, but after the overwhelming response to Angelfrye's message and the fact Lear and Zach have stepped away I feel that something needs to be said.

Please keep in mind this thread is about expressing our opinions regarding the use of AI images as a background. This should be a safe place to express ones opinions on the topic. While it very quickly stopped being a safe place, it at least stayed on topic, so lets not let this divulge into whether or not Zach should have posted this thread.

Yes, I understand that means this post qualifies as off topic so far, but to get onto topic. A lot of people responded to my earlier post. Rather than posting again, I decided to edit it as it seemed people were misinterpreting the post. As I try not to post in the thread unless I feel I have something new to say. Since I had something new to say I figured I would mention the post to stay on topic.

I've tolerated the moral lectures, the "ban AI" tags on Discord profiles, and even the new Discord game where people pretend to be AI. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I've made a point of respecting that by stepping back because at times I have felt baited. Unfortunately, the cumulative effect of this expression has caused a noticeable change in the tone of the community. In my opinion, Hogwarts.io has become a much less welcoming place.

If I wanted to be lectured about my morals, I'd visit my extended family. If I wanted to experience cattiness, I'd go back to high school. That's not the kind of atmosphere I enjoy. My stepping back has nothing to do with psychological distress, but rather the fact that I choose to participate in things, places and communities that give me happiness.

I've discouraged people who support AI or simply support Zach's autonomy as the creator of this project from posting in this thread because I didn't want them to become targets or feel uncomfortable for expressing a different opinion. They are, of course, free to participate if they choose, but I understand why many have preferred not to and why some might regret saying anything.

It's also worth remembering that the discussion in this thread isn't necessarily representative of the community as a whole. We have members posting from both their student and alternative accounts as well as members that have not been engaged in this community in some time but feel compelled to become engaged on this topic. These behaviors naturally give the conversation a greater appearance of volume. Ultimately, we'll have a much clearer picture of the aggregate community sentiment when the actual vote takes place.

Once Zach is ready to release the navigation update, members will vote on whether they want the option to toggle AI-generated backgrounds on or off as part of the navigation experience, or whether everyone should instead use the same plain backgrounds. At that point, we'll have a view of the community's preferences rather than relying on the voices of those participating in this thread.

Feel free to continue to discuss.