Is it legal to use AI-generated images for my business website or logo?

In most places, you can't copyright an AI-generated image on its own, which means you don't legally own it and can't stop competitors from using something nearly identical. This catches a lot of small business owners off guard. You spend hours crafting the perfect prompt in Midjourney, get a stunning logo, and assume it's yours. Legally, it's not. The U.S. Copyright Office has been very clear on this, most recently in their 2025 guidance reaffirming that works lacking human authorship don't qualify for copyright protection. The practical risk is real. Imagine your new coffee shop logo, generated entirely by AI, starts appearing on a rival's merchandise across town. Without a copyright registration, your legal options are extremely limited. You could potentially argue trademark infringement if you've built enough brand recognition, but that's a much harder, more expensive fight. There's a gray area, though. If you take that AI-generated image and heavily modify it in Photoshop — adding your own hand-drawn elements, unique text, and a custom color palette — the final composite work likely qualifies for copyright because of your substantial human contribution. For a complete breakdown of the risks, see our guide on AI content copyright and legal issues. The safest path for business assets is to use AI for brainstorming and mockups, then hire a human designer to create the final, copyrightable version from those ideas. It's an extra step, but it secures your ownership. Related: Can I use AI to write a book and still get a copyright? | What should my AI usage policy say for employees?