Here's how we turned a complex idea into a very human movement
For Reader’s Digest’s April/May 2026 cover, we approached the future of AI with a simple question: What would it feel like to understand it on a more human level?
“We knew what a polarizing topic AI is,” photographer Emiko Franzen says, “so we tried to come up with something friendly, nonthreatening and approachable.” Instead of leaning into cold, robotic imagery, the team went in the opposite direction: warmth, color and just enough whimsy to make you look twice, in a good way.
The issue itself explores everything from everyday AI conveniences to bigger, what-does-this-all-mean questions, but visually, the goal was to make it feel human. Really human. And that’s how the idea clicked. Two versions of our model, Danielle Kasprzak (culinary assistant at TMBI, also known as Dee). One swing. One moment that feels instantly familiar. Suddenly, “Making Friends with AI” wasn’t just a cover line—it was a scene you could step into.
Read on to find out how we brought the cover to life, from hand-sewn looks and lighting tricks to all the behind-the-scenes details that made AI feel a little more like us.
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How the cover came together
From there, things got very specific, in the best way. Franzen built the photo shoot backward from the final image, essentially solving a creative puzzle before the camera even came out. “I start by looking at the finished image we want, then break down how I need to tackle my shots,” she explains. Translation: Nothing about this was accidental.
That meant photographing Dee twice, once as herself, once as her AI counterpart, and making sure both versions could eventually live seamlessly in the same frame. Easy to say. Much trickier to pull off.
And then there’s “AI Dee,” who, to be clear, is not AI-generated at all. “She was styled and shot in real life,” Franzen says. “I added more makeup … more shimmery makeup overall.” Think: iridescent wig, a silver jumpsuit and a hand-sewn tunic Franzen made herself (yes, really, during the holiday break, no less). “I had visions in my head … and some very crude sewing skills,” she jokes. “But I really had fun creating an outfit that embodied the ethereal nature we wanted.”
Lighting did the rest of the storytelling. AI Dee got a slightly more sculpted, otherworldly glow (thanks to harder light and color gels) while real-world Dee stayed grounded and natural. “We wanted her smiles to feel sincere, open and optimistic,” Franzen says. And according to everyone on set, Dee absolutely delivered.
Jessie Sharon, Reader’s Digest’s senior art director, was right there in the mix, fine-tuning as they went. “While Franzen captured the images, I provided feedback on spacing and small details—adjusting folds in fabric and refining the composition,” she says. It was a true collaboration, the kind where every inch of the frame gets attention.
After the shoot wrapped, the real magic started. Franzen combined several images, blending the two Dees into one seamless moment on the swing. Meanwhile, Sharon worked closely with the editor to place and style the cover lines so everything clicked within the final layout. “Franzen’s work was far from finished,” Sharon says. “There was a long list of edits to make sure the cover fit beautifully within our Digest format.”
Even the “AI effects” came with a hands-on twist. Those glowing energy swirls? Not a quick digital add-on. Franzen created them using an LED rope and long-exposure photography, then layered them into the final image.
However, AI did make a cameo, but more as a brainstorming partner than a creator. Early on, the team used it to generate visual sketches and help communicate ideas internally. Later, it stepped in for small retouching tweaks. But the final image? Entirely human-made.
That balance, between innovation and intention, is really the heart of the cover. Or, as Franzen puts it, “AI is the trampoline that can take us even further, jumping higher creatively.” Sharon echoes that sentiment: “It’s not perfect, but sometimes it’s a helping hand.”
And maybe that’s the point of all of this. Not AI versus humans. Not one replacing the other. Just two versions, side by side, figuring it out together … on a swing, in good light, with a little curiosity.
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