AEW Accused Of Creating AI-Generated T-Shirts

All Elite Wrestling have been accused of using artificial intelligence to generate t-shirt designs that the promotion have since put on sale. 

AEW Games revealed three video game-related t-shirt designs on April 26 on Twitter and the tweet was immediately inundated with replies, with several pointing out that the designs looked like they had been made by an AI art generator. 

Paste Magazine spoke to wrestling merch designers and artists, who criticised the company's decision to allegedly use AI for producing their merch. Upon being approached about the designs, AEW said "we will not be providing comment at this time."

Wrestling artist Lindsay Rae stated some of the giveaways they spotted on the Kenny Omega shirt that suggested it had been produced by an AI art generator. 

"The first thing I think to look for with a potential AI portrait is if it gets the likeness of the subject right. I don't think this looks like Kenny Omega, for starters. The shape of his nose, the shape of his lips, it's all very generic and undefined. An artist will know to capture the contour of someone's facial features, that is what makes a face uniquely theirs. The biggest giveaway is the left eye. The bottom eyelid splits into several webbed pieces. Is this flesh striations? Are these computer cords? It's ambiguous enough so that any detractors can say it's objective, but it has no logic. Just like where the game controller (engraved with nonsense, look at the random buttons and 'type') meets with his head. Also, look how wonky that pupil and iris are. Look at the top eyelid, it's just a dark red line that breaks up and extends over to the nose. Clothing is another big giveaway for these. Look how little sense that jacket collar makes. There's a spiral on the lower right-hand side above what looks like a portable hard drive. Had this been made by a human, there would at least be a modicum of logic behind this," Rae said.

"What is that part growing out of the top of his head? The hair/wires (look how it melds together on the left, the directions make no sense, it follows no logic) are bad enough, but then there's this piece of, presumably some faint imitation of cyberpunk headgear. Presumably, some poor intern had to photoshop in the 'AEW Games' text, as AI is still incapable of making text in images (for now)," they added.

The designs of Evil Uno and Adam Cole were also criticised.

Angie, an artist who has created designs for MJF, hoped AEW would listen to the criticism. 

"Merch is a means of showcasing your community and what you love. AI art is the antithesis of that. I hope AEW listens to the criticism and continues to invest in the artists that are inspired by their product," they said.