And I'm not saying it can't be ethical. I'm saying that by not being able to cite sources and prove consent was given, it brings into question the ethics of the art created.

The magazine could not use art and still exist. It sounds like y'all understand that art helps move product.

Okay, then please educate me: do the systems used by Zooscape (or Mary in general for that matter) offer any sources for where their data comes from? Offer any evidence that approval is given by the original creators for others to potentially profit off their work?

I've been told money should flow to those that produce art--writers and artists alike--or someone is being taken advantage of. And it sounds like y'all are fine taking advantage of the time/energy/work other artist have done to spend a fraction of the time to create your own pieces.

Again, as I said before, the only reason I could see is that Mary/Zooscape/you--since you keep talking on their behalf--don't value the time/energy/work the artist had put in. Is that why it's okay to use non-ethically sourced AI "art"?

Finding ways to pay for art was not my question. My question was trying to understand--even with AI/ML tools--why ethical sources of art are not being used.

Sorry, that was a typo and I was trying to correct it. Oh well. "And the publisher/editor (Mary) created a call to pay writers at a professional rate (Zooscape)* and later wanted to be paid herself.." This is also an assumption. Now with clarification, can we get back to my original question?

So the publisher's poor planning is reason enough to not treat art ethically? I still haven't heard a clear answer to my initial question and it feels like I keep getting excuses to not answer it.

It now sounds like you are trying to say Zooscape values stories first, then editors, and finally artists. And the publisher/editor (Mary) created a call to pay artists and later wanted to be paid herself, and is now refusing use ethically sourced art until she herself is "ethically" paid?

However, I know with my project, I was approached and had discussed things--including pay--with the appropriate folxs. I knew what I was getting in to and agreed to it.