AI Art Accusations Hit New Game of Thrones Book; George R.R. Martin's Team Pushes Back

So, the new illustrated edition of George R.R. Martin's 'A Feast for Crows' just landed, and the internet immediately started squinting at the pictures. A bunch of fans think the art looks AI-generated. Martin's camp says it isn't.

What set this off

Soon after copies started showing up in the wild, images from the book hit social media. On Nov 5, 2025, one buyer posted a thread basically asking if the whole thing was made by AI and wondering if they got scammed or if Martin actually approved it. The vibe was: this looks machine-made.

Who actually approves this stuff

Enter Raya Golden, who runs art direction and licensing development at Fevre River, Martin's company. She posted on Martin's 'Not a Blog' and made it clear she works closely with him when his schedule allows, but she is the person who signs off on licensed art tied to the A Song of Ice and Fire books. If you were picturing Martin personally vetting every brushstroke, that is not how this works day-to-day.

The response from Martin's office

Golden addressed the accusation head-on: the illustrated edition in question is from Penguin Random House, and according to both their office and the artist, no AI tools were used to make the images. She stressed that the artist works digitally — as in, software and tablets — but stated he told them, unequivocally, that he did not use generative AI. And yes, they are taking him at his word.

'The official word from our office is, of course, that we DO NOT, never have and will not willingly work with A.I generative artists in any way shape or form.'

That tracks with Martin's broader stance: he is one of the authors suing OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.

• The book: an illustrated 'A Feast for Crows' from Penguin Random House
• The complaint: fans saw the art online and said it looked AI-made
• The timeline: posts started circulating; a Nov 5, 2025 thread amplified the suspicion
• The decision-maker: Raya Golden at Fevre River approves licensed ASOIAF book art
• The denial: their office and the artist say no generative AI was used; the artist works digitally but not with AI
• The policy: Fevre River says they do not and will not work with generative AI artists

Meanwhile, on the screen side of Westeros

HBO has 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' queued up for January, and 'House of the Dragon' season 3 is on deck next year.

Bottom line: the art may look algorithmic to some eyes, but Martin's team says it is not — and they are publicly planting a flag against hiring AI art in the first place.