Artificial intelligence (AI) may make designing easier, but it still needs a human eye to catch mistakes before anything goes public.
A National Day banner displayed in a Singapore neighbourhood drew attention after residents spotted multiple details commonly associated with AI-generated images.
According to Mothership, the banner was put up around Block 409 at Bedok North Avenue 2 as part of the estate’s celebration of Singapore’s 61st birthday.
The banner featured a red and white flag without the crescent moon and five stars found on Singapore’s national flag, making it look similar to Indonesia’s flag.
Resident spotted the mistakes
Photos of the banner were shared in the Facebook group SG Creative & Cultural Community on July 20 by a resident and art practitioner known as Zu.
Describing the artwork as “a good example of AI generative artworks”, she highlighted several inconsistencies in the design.
Zu reportedly said she first noticed the unusual details on the morning of July 19 and raised the issue in a residents’ group chat.
The affected banner was replaced later that same evening, with corrections made to the flag.
Other strange details
Some netizens suggested that the flag could have been the back of a Singapore flag, but many believed it was simply a design error.
Others pointed out several additional inconsistencies, including a boy’s hand appearing to be drawn incorrectly while holding a flag and a girl’s pigtails looking unnatural.
Zu also raised concerns about how individuals from different ethnic groups were portrayed in one of the banners, saying representation was particularly important during National Day celebrations.
Some commenters questioned why the designs were not properly checked before being printed and displayed.
Others asked whether clearer guidelines were needed for the use of national symbols in AI-generated artwork.
Banners were created and funded by residents
In a Facebook statement on July 21, Kampong Chai Chee Community Club said it had received feedback about an AI-generated National Day banner displayed in the estate.
According to the community club, the banners were “created and paid for by residents who wanted to bring festive cheer to the neighbourhood.”
“Many of the volunteers are seniors who generously gave their time and effort to make our estate a more vibrant place for everyone,” it wrote.
The community club added that the volunteers were unaware that the AI-generated artwork contained inaccurate details.
All banners later removed
After the issue was brought to their attention, the residents promptly replaced the affected banner on the same day.
Kampong Chai Chee Community Club also thanked members of the public who took the time to highlight the mistakes.
It also acknowledged that while AI can be a useful tool, its output should always be carefully checked before being used.
Zu later told Mothership that all the banners had been taken down by the morning of July 22.
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