Not AI-Generated: The Truth Behind the Trench Vehicles and Art

Ever since I started releasing the Trench series, a strange accusation keeps popping up: that the vehicles or even the cover art are AI-generated.

It began when a YouTuber kindly posted my first two volumes with their cover art. The response from some people? Not curiosity. Not interested. Instead: “That’s AI generated.”

The same happened with my book trailers. Even when I used real WWI footage—soldiers in action, genuine film reels, carefully colorized history—critics insisted it was “AI.” In reality, the only modern additions were a handful of images: artwork commissioned from real artists, and reenactment photos of properly outfitted German soldiers that I personally sourced.

And the vehicles? Don’t get me started.

• The Russian Tsar Tank,

• The Austro-Hungarian Burstyn Motorgeschütz,

• The French Frot-Laffly Armored Roller 

Every one of them existed on paper. Some were tested, some remained prototypes, but all are historical. These aren’t fantasy machines I dreamed up, and they certainly aren’t AI hallucinations or generated since my publisher's artist successfully brought them to life for my book's cover. With my guidance of course.

The Real Problem: AI Paranoia

We live in an age where AI tools are everywhere depending on what they are. That’s reality. But the rise of AI content either for brainrot memes, scams,  or souless cash grab, has created paranoia that spills onto creators who don’t use it. Suddenly, genuine art, reenactments, or archival film are all labeled “fake.”

It’s as if people forgot how to use Google. A five-second search would show that these vehicles, images, and footage are real. Instead, trolls—or people with nothing better to do—throw baseless accusations, tarnishing work that took years of research, writing, and production to bring to life.

First Attempts and First Lessons

I’ll be the first to admit: my early trailer was a learning experience for both me and my associate. Nobody is born an expert. Even if you study something in school, real skill only comes through trial, error, and improvement. Some viewers understood that. Others? They mocked and accused.

That’s fine. I keep going. Because while trolls scream “AI generated slope,” I know the truth: I’ve invested time, money, and effort into ensuring that Trench is grounded in historical authenticity.

Why This Matters

The paranoia reminds me of the fears I grew up seeing in films like Terminator or 2001: A Space Odyssey, machines replacing people, HAL 9000 whispering, “I can’t let you do that.” But here’s the reality: Trench isn’t written or produced by a machine. It’s written by me. It’s built on research. It’s shaped by real artists, real reenactors, and real history.

So, to my readers and supporters: thank you for seeing past the noise. For everyone else? Maybe spend less time crying “AI” and more time learning what actually existed during the Great War. The history is there, if you care to look further.

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