“AI-generated” is not a provenance record. A useful project record identifies where an image came from, connects the approved version to its generation or upload, and preserves the edits that led to the final cover. That history supports revision, licensing, and responsible responses to a rights concern.
Record the source at creation
Keep the provider, creation date, task identifier where available, model or service path, seed, and prompt version. If the author supplies an image, record it as user-provided and retain any relevant commission or stock-license reference. Do not silently treat every source as platform-owned.
Keep edits as reversible versions
Region edits, close variations, crops, color treatments, and overlays should form a clear version history. A single flattened image makes it difficult to identify when a disputed detail appeared. Reversible versions also let an author explore alternatives without losing an approved direction.
Keep generated art text-free
Titles, subtitles, and author names belong in editable typography layers. Text-free artwork avoids unreliable generated spelling, permits corrections, improves accessibility, and allows one cover system to adapt to ebook, print, audiobook, and launch formats without generating the visual again.
Keep the license with the purchased project
The record should identify the project, product, artwork source, and date granted. Keep it with the exported cover files.