JD Vance used Grok AI for customized children's book images
In a notable intersection of technology and personal life, JD Vance, a prominent political figure often perceived as cautious regarding artificial intelligence, has revealed he utilized Grok, xAI’s generative AI, to assist in creating a customized children’s book for his own kids. Despite previously stating he is “not an AI guy,” Vance shared that his children “loved” the images generated for the collaborative project, offering a glimpse into the increasingly accessible nature of AI tools for everyday creative endeavors.
Grok, developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, has rapidly advanced its capabilities, particularly in image generation. The platform introduced a new autoregressive image generation model, code-named Aurora, in late 2024, designed to produce high-quality visuals rapidly and with remarkable clarity. Grok’s ability to render precise visual details, follow text instructions accurately, and even understand both text and images makes it a versatile tool for various creative applications, including educational and design purposes. Users can simply input text prompts, and Grok translates them into stunning visuals, often outperforming competitors in speed and detail.
Vance’s foray into AI-assisted storytelling reflects a broader trend within the publishing industry, where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the creation of children’s literature. Tools like Midjourney, Recraft, Childbook.ai, and ReadKidz are empowering authors, parents, and educators to generate unique illustrations, customize characters, and even craft entire narratives with unprecedented speed and ease. These platforms aim to simplify the illustration process, which can often delay publishing by weeks or months, by offering instant image generation, consistent style across pages, and extensive customization options. The rise of such AI generators means that creating a beautifully illustrated storybook is no longer exclusive to those with traditional artistic skills or significant budgets.
Interestingly, Vance’s personal embrace of Grok for a children’s book comes months after he publicly articulated concerns about AI’s potential societal impact. In May 2025, Vance was quoted suggesting that AI poses a threat more to children than to jobs. This juxtaposition highlights a nuanced and perhaps evolving perspective on artificial intelligence, demonstrating a willingness to leverage its creative benefits while remaining mindful of its broader implications. His experience underscores how even those with reservations about AI’s societal shifts can find practical, beneficial applications for the technology in their personal lives, especially when it sparks joy and engagement, as it did for his children.
The anecdote serves as a compelling example of how advanced AI tools, once primarily the domain of tech enthusiasts and large corporations, are becoming integrated into the fabric of daily life, enabling individuals to explore creative projects with surprising ease and effectiveness. For Vance, it was a simple, yet impactful, use of technology to connect with his kids through a personalized story, illustrating that the most powerful applications of AI might sometimes be found in the most intimate and unexpected corners of our lives.