Despite ongoing debate about the potential effects of the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in modern societies, there is still a lack of clarity on issues such as copyright and authorship of AI-generated content. This paper analyzes the implications of GenAI with particular attention to authenticity, ethics, and legal compliance, and outlines directions for future research. Although the use of GenAI as a collaborative tool is already widespread, it requires humans to develop appropriate skills for responsible use. The study also examines ethical and regulatory concerns related to visual content protection and presents an end-to-end lifecycle model as a framework for managing AI-generated materials in a trustworthy manner.