KURA criticised by Kenyans over use of an AI image in its advert
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has been highly criticized by Kenyans on social media after the usage of an image generated by Artificial Intelligence in their new advertisement.
Kenyans on social media platform X were keen to identify the image as AI-generated pointing out various errors.
The hawk-eyed Kenyans on X were unimpressed with the entire form of messaging with many not only blasting the road body for choosing to use AI to pass a message but also failing to capture critical road necessities in the AI imagination.
Cyber security expert Monka kicked off the storm, telling them that the AI road lacked drainage systems, walkways, and cycle lanes.
“Even in your AI fantasies, there’s no drainage, walk lanes, cycle lanes. Your mediocrity knows no bounds!” Monka criticized.
“So the lack of road amenities on Kenyan roads is ingrained in your DNA that even in AI simulations you don’t have them? Wow! What amateurism!” another X user replied to the road authority.
The Kenyans found it hard to comprehend what could have prompted KURA to use the AI image.
“Was this the prompt: “Imagine bad road construction like the ones only Kenya can make. Make it inaccessible, treeless, and crooked despite being straight. Include a normal-fingered black construction worker in the foreground!?” one user questioned in his reply to the X post.
In their post, KURA used an AI-generated image that showed men at work, a crowded town with skyscrapers at the horizon, and several wheel loaders in a newly tarmacked road announcing the steps they are taking toward seamless road connectivity across the country.
“We are working towards a seamless connectivity across all the forty-seven Counties through the Transformation of Urban Mobility.” They posted.
“Taking shape… towards better and smart cities.” They shared another AI image of an almost complete road of more developments ongoing.
KURA is not the first one in government to use AI images as several other top government and private companies have been employing the services of AI-generated images, models, and voices to drive their marketing campaigns, thus bypassing traditional marketing teams.
