Mayor is Mocked After Posting AI Images of New City Parks With ‘Mutant Humans’

Matt Growcoot

Children are playing in an urban playground beneath a large concrete overpass. The playground is surrounded by greenery and features climbing structures. A close-up inset shows a person lying on the ground with bystanders nearby. The Southbank logo is visible.

A mayor in Australia has been tripped up by generative AI after posting concept images of new parks containing humans with floating limbs and twisted bodies.

Nicholas Reece is seeking re-election as Melbourne’s Lord Mayor and made a tweet on X announcing he will build 28 new parks in Australia’s second largest city. The tweet had four images attached of what he envisions the parks will look like.

A vibrant urban courtyard features people relaxing on benches surrounded by lush greenery, potted plants, and flowers. Tall skyscrapers rise in the background under a partly cloudy sky. A sign in the bottom left corner reads "BROWN ALLEY.
Closer inspection reveals all is not well with the humans in the images.

A vibrant urban playground nestled under a series of overpasses. Children are playing on various playground equipment, including slides, climbing structures, and swings. Adults are supervising and interacting with the children. Greenery and colorful flowers surround the area. The "Southbank" logo is in the bottom left corner.

A group of people, including adults and children, are gathered under an overpass on a sunny day. They are enjoying outdoor activities on a grassy area with pathways. In the background, buildings and a red vehicle are visible. The "Southbank" logo is in the bottom left corner.

X users were quick to jump on the mangled representations of humans in the images with one commenter asking: “Sir, why is there a dead body in your pictures?”

“What is your policy on dealing with these mutant beings infiltrating Melbourne in your photographs?,” Asks another.

Many asked why the mayor hadn’t hired a human concept artist to make the drawings but The Guardian notes that the pictures are in fact credited to Hassell Architects.

Reece apparently saw the funny side and later wrote: “You guys should’ve seen the originals!”

The Guardian reports there are no rules against using AI image generators during elections in Australia. While the mayor’s faux pas is relatively harmless, AI can be used to create deceptive images.

However, given that the images appear to have been generated by an in-house design team at an architectural firm, the evidence points to creatives using these tools to complete jobs assigned to them. While these AI images likely received some retouching and editing, the fact is it takes a lot less time to generate pictures with AI than it does to create art like this from scratch.

,
, , ,
PetaPixel articles may include affiliate links; if you buy something through such a link, PetaPixel may earn a commission.
Related Articles
swarm of jellyfish Massive Swarm of Jellyfish Appears in Israel’s Haifa Bay
Vandals Caught on Camera Destroying Iconic ‘Duckbill’ Rock in Oregon
Pop Culture’s Homage to Gordon Parks
On Gordon Parks: The Photograph as Protest
Discussion