Politics

George R.R. Martin's team denies AI involvement in new art controversy alongside legal battles over AI training data

Friday, 21 November 2025 3:25AM UTC

The team behind George R.R. Martin’s A Feast for Crows has disputed claims that artificial intelligence was used to create its illustrations, amid ongoing legal disputes over AI’s role in training data and copyright concerns within the creative industry.

George R.R. Martin’s team has firmly denied accusations that artificial intelligence (AI) was employed to create some of the artwork in the newly released illustrated edition of A Feast for Crows, the fourth instalment in his beloved A Song of Ice and Fire series. The 20th anniversary edition, published by Penguin Random House, features illustrations by Jeffery R. McDonald and was marketed as a premium collector’s piece. However, fans quickly scrutinised the artwork, raising suspicions over what they perceived as AI-generated elements like odd background details, repetitive textures, and anatomical anomalies.

In a statement shared on social media and Martin’s blog, Not a Blog, Raya Golden, who manages the art direction and licensing development at Fevre River and works closely with Martin, addressed these accusations. Golden emphasised that while the artist used digital multimedia tools, no AI programming was involved in producing the illustrations. She asserted that Martin’s office does not and will not endorse working with AI generative art for any official projects, underscoring their commitment to traditional artistic methods. According to Golden, the artist provided a clear assurance that no AI was used, a claim the team stands behind.

The controversy unfolded as fans on platforms such as Reddit and X extensively discussed irregularities in the artwork, pointing out inconsistencies such as the lack of heraldic banners, the appearance of a Christian cross, and anatomical oddities in characters. Some also noted apparent parallels between the official illustration of Lady Stoneheart and a fan-created piece, heightening scepticism about the source of the artwork.

This dispute over the artwork comes amid broader tensions concerning AI’s role in creative industries. George R.R. Martin is among a group of prominent authors, including John Grisham, Jonathan Franzen, and Jodi Picoult, who have filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The lawsuit alleges that these tech companies used copyrighted material, potentially including Martin’s works, without permission to train AI models like ChatGPT. The legal battle is part of a larger wave of copyright cases being consolidated in a Manhattan federal court, following similar claims by newspapers such as The New York Times. These cases challenge the use of protected content in AI training data, raising significant concerns about intellectual property rights and the future of creative professions.

Despite the legal pressures and the ongoing difficulty he faces in completing the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, Martin has reiterated his dedication to the saga. Speaking at New York Comic Con, he acknowledged the delays in publishing The Winds of Winter but conveyed his continued interest and passion for the story, as well as his struggle to find solace in writing under the pressure of deadlines.

The artwork controversy around A Feast for Crows highlights the fraught intersection of digital innovation and traditional art, especially within highly treasured and closely followed literary works. While fans debate the authenticity of the illustrations, Martin’s team stands clear in their denial of AI involvement, reinforcing an ongoing resistance among many creators to the integration of AI in artistic production.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] (The Independent) - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
^[2] (GamesRadar) - Paragraph 2
^[5] (AV Club) - Paragraph 2
^[6] (The Guardian) - Paragraph 4
^[7] (CNBC) - Paragraph 4
^[3] (AP News) - Paragraph 4
^[4] (Reuters) - Paragraph 4

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/books/news/george-rr-martin-ai-game-of-thrones-feast-for-crows-b2863485.html - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/a-new-game-of-thrones-book-has-artwork-that-fans-are-suspicious-is-ai-but-george-r-r-martins-team-has-denied-the-allegations/ - A newly released illustrated edition of 'A Feast for Crows' has sparked controversy among fans who suspect the artwork was created using AI. However, George R.R. Martin's team, represented by Raya Golden, the art director at Fevre River, firmly denied the use of AI-generated artwork. Golden stated that while the artist used digital tools, no AI programs were involved, and emphasized that Martin's office does not, and will not, approve AI generative artwork for official projects.
https://apnews.com/article/cc19ef2cf3f23343738e892b60d6d7a6 - A U.S. federal judge has allowed a lawsuit filed by The New York Times and other newspapers against OpenAI and Microsoft to proceed. The lawsuit alleges that the companies used the newspapers' articles without permission to train AI chatbots, potentially threatening the newspapers' financial viability. The judge dismissed some claims but permitted the majority of the case to continue, possibly leading to a jury trial.
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/openai-copyright-lawsuits-authors-new-york-times-consolidated-manhattan-2025-04-03/ - A U.S. judicial panel has consolidated multiple high-profile copyright lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft into a single case to be heard in Manhattan federal court. The decision combines cases originally filed in California by authors such as Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman with lawsuits from The New York Times and authors including John Grisham, Jonathan Franzen, and George R.R. Martin. These cases allege that OpenAI and Microsoft used copyrighted materials without permission to train AI systems, a charge the companies deny by invoking the 'fair use' doctrine.
https://www.avclub.com/game-of-thrones-publisher-denies-ai-art-illustrations - Penguin Random House has denied the use of artificial intelligence for the artwork in the newly released 'A Feast For Crows: The Illustrated Edition' by George R.R. Martin. Raya Golden, who manages the art direction and licensing development at Fevre River, stated that while the artist used digital programming, no AI was used, and emphasized that Martin's office does not, and will not, approve AI generative artwork for official projects.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/20/authors-lawsuit-openai-george-rr-martin-john-grisham - A group of prominent U.S. authors, including George R.R. Martin, John Grisham, and Jodi Picoult, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement in using their work to train ChatGPT. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI copied the authors' works without permission and fed them into their large language models, raising concerns about the impact of AI on the literary industry.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/20/john-grisham-george-rr-martin-other-prominent-authors-sue-openai.html - A group of prominent U.S. authors, including Jonathan Franzen, John Grisham, George R.R. Martin, and Jodi Picoult, has sued OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement in using their work to train ChatGPT. The lawsuit alleges that OpenAI copied the authors' works without permission and fed them into their large language models, raising concerns about the impact of AI on the literary industry.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being November 10, 2025, when Raya Golden addressed the AI allegations on Martin's blog. ([georgerrmartin.com](https://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2025/11/10/ffc-art-accusations/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: Direct quotes from Raya Golden and the artist Jeffrey R. McDonald are consistent across multiple reputable sources, indicating originality and no signs of recycled content.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from reputable outlets such as The Independent, GamesRadar, and AV Club, all of which have covered the controversy and the denials from Martin's team and publisher. ([independent.co.uk](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/george-rr-martin-ai-game-of-thrones-feast-for-crows-b2863485.html?utm_source=openai))

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims are plausible and corroborated by multiple sources. The denials from Martin's team and publisher align with the ongoing legal actions against AI companies, and the specific details about the artwork's inconsistencies are consistent with fan observations.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and supported by reliable sources. The claims are plausible and corroborated by multiple reputable outlets, with no signs of disinformation or recycled content.

George R.R. Martin
AI art controversy
Copyright lawsuit