Copyright, Originality & AI Use Policy

Original Work & Copyright

Portfolio Review

• Work included in an applicant’s portfolio must accurately represent the applicant’s own work and creative abilities. Applicants must not present AI-generated, copied, traced, or otherwise misrepresented work as their own.

Illustrations Created for Wave Blog

• Illustrators selected to work with Wave Blog collaborate with Ripple Foundation on creative direction and ideation before developing an original illustration for an assigned article.
• Illustrators must ensure that the artwork they create is original and does not infringe on the copyright, intellectual property, or moral rights of others.
• Illustrators retain copyright in the original artwork they create for Wave Blog. Creating artwork for publication on Wave Blog does not transfer ownership of the copyright to Ripple Foundation.
• By agreeing to create an illustration for Wave Blog, the illustrator gives Ripple Foundation non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to publish, reproduce, display, archive and promote the completed artwork in connection with Wave Blog and Ripple Foundation’s charitable programs and communications. Ripple Foundation may also make reasonable formatting adjustments, such as resizing or cropping, as required for different publishing and promotional formats.
• Illustrators will be credited for their work wherever reasonably practicable.
• Ripple Foundation will not sell or license a contributor’s artwork to a third party for commercial use without permission from the copyright owner.
• Artwork copied, traced, heavily derived from, or generated from copyrighted material without permission will not be accepted.

Founder-Created Images

• Images published on Wave Blog without an illustrator credit were created by Ivy Wong, Founder / Publisher of Ripple Foundation, in her personal capacity.
• Consistent with the terms above, the founder retains full copyright ownership of these images; Ripple Foundation holds the same non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, reproduce, display, archive, and promote them.
• The founder may credit specific images under a chosen name (e.g., “Ivy W.”) and may use her own original images outside of Wave Blog, including on a personal website or in other projects.

Use of AI-Generated Tools

We recognize that creative tools are evolving rapidly. However:

• AI-generated images may not be submitted as original illustrations for Wave Blog.
• This includes images created wholly or primarily using generative AI tools (e.g., text-to-image generators), even if they are later edited or refined.
• AI tools may be used as part of a broader, human-led creative process, such as for reference, experimentation, or incorporation into collage or mixed-media work, provided the final illustration reflects substantial original human authorship and creative decision-making.
• Illustrations generated wholly or primarily by AI may not be submitted as original work. Any use of AI tools must be clearly disclosed, and contributors may be asked to demonstrate how AI elements were transformed, combined, or manipulated as part of the final artwork.
• The final illustration must not be a lightly edited or minimally altered AI-generated image.

Process Documentation

To ensure transparency and fairness:

• Contributors may be asked to provide process documentation for submitted illustrations.
• This may include sketches, drafts, layer screenshots, or work-in-progress images created during the development of the final artwork.
• Process materials must accurately reflect the creation of the final illustration.
• Providing recreated or misleading process materials is considered a serious breach of trust.

Misrepresentation

Presenting AI-generated work as human-created, misrepresenting authorship, or submitting inaccurate process documentation may result in:

• Removal of published content
• Discontinuation of contributor involvement with Ripple Foundation programs
• These standards exist to protect all contributors and maintain a fair, respectful creative environment.

Questions or Uncertainty

If you’re unsure whether your tools or process align with these guidelines, we encourage you to ask before submitting. We’re happy to clarify expectations and help contributors navigate this evolving space responsibly.