Don't Blame the Brush: Why People, Not AI, Should Be Held Accountable for Misuse of Image Generators

The latest scare? ChatGPT's new 4o model is too good at generating fake receipts.

Yes, it’s true: you can now use AI to whip up a crinkled, stained restaurant bill that looks convincingly real. It didn’t take long for social media to erupt with examples and warnings. Pundits, journalists, and Twitter doomscrollers all converged on one predictable conclusion: “Regulate it. Shut it down.”

But let’s pause for a moment—step back from the panic—and ask a more important question: Should we blame the tool… or the person holding it?

The Real Issue Isn’t AI — It’s Accountability

Scissors can cut paper—and they can hurt people. Photoshop can create jaw-dropping art—or forge documents. AI is no different. Every breakthrough brings new responsibilities. What changes isn’t the nature of the tool, but the need for integrity in how it’s used.

Lawmakers and regulators are circling, eager to slap limits on what models like ChatGPT can generate. But focusing on banning capabilities misses the bigger point: humans are still the ones making the choices.

If someone submits a fake receipt for reimbursement, that’s fraud. Full stop. Whether it was made with AI, Photoshop, or drawn by hand, the crime is the deception—not the medium.

We Don’t Ban Language Because People Lie

Text-based LLMs can lie, too. They can write fake doctor’s notes, scam emails, or manipulate public opinion. But we don’t ban people from using text because some might abuse it. We prosecute the abusers.

So why is it different when it’s visual?

Is it because it feels new? Or maybe because the results look too real? That’s exactly why these tools need transparent policy and detection tech—not prohibition.

OpenAI already embeds metadata in generated images and bans usage for fraud. That’s the right approach: build safeguards, respond to misuse, and continuously improve detection. What we don’t need is a reactionary crackdown that stifles the vast, legitimate uses of image generation—from education and storytelling to design and accessibility.

Criminals Don’t Need AI to Commit Crimes

The idea that AI suddenly makes fraud possible is misleading. People have been forging receipts, documents, and IDs long before ChatGPT existed. What AI does is lower the technical barrier. But so did desktop publishing. So did the internet.

The problem isn’t that people can commit fraud. The problem is when they do—and get away with it.

The Future Needs Courage, Not Fear

Here’s the truth: image models like ChatGPT 4o are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, yes—but also what’s imaginable. They’re helping people visualize business ideas, prototype concepts, learn new skills, and even explore creative paths that were once closed off by cost, geography, or education.

The answer isn’t to restrict creativity because it might be misused. It’s to equip society to use it wisely. That means better media literacy, clearer accountability laws, smarter verification systems—and trust in humans to handle powerful tools responsibly.

Let’s not criminalize innovation. Let’s criminalize fraud.

Because in the end, a fake receipt doesn’t hurt anyone—unless someone tries to use it to lie.

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