Bedford Borough Council has come under criticism from a local illustrators’ group and some residents after using an AI-generated image to promote a new summer campaign supporting town centre restaurants.
The image, shared on the council’s social media channels, was created to promote the planned “Bedford Restaurants World Cup”, which aims to encourage eateries in Bedford town centre to take part in a summer competition.
The artwork featured a fictional mayoral figure alongside John Bunyan, footballers in England’s 1966 World Cup-style shirts and a version of Bedford’s riverside scenery holding the World Cup trophy aloft.
The accompanying post invited restaurants in the former Business Improvement District (BID) area to participate in the competition.
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Creative criticism
The use of AI-generated artwork prompted online criticism, with several Bedfordians questioning why AI had been used instead of photography, stock imagery, or commissioned local artwork.
Comments on Facebook described the image as “depressing”, “AI slop,” and “cheapening” the council’s messaging, while others said they would have preferred to see real photographs of Bedford.
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One resident said the use of AI gave the impression that little effort had gone into the campaign, while another questioned whether local artists could have been involved instead.
The criticism was also echoed by The Circus of Illustration (CoI), a collective of illustrators and creatives from Bedfordshire and the surrounding area.
In a statement sent to the Bedford Independent, the group said: “We’ve been disheartened to see so many local companies, groups and organisations depend so heavily on AI for image creation when there are so many alternatives available.
“Alongside the copyright concerns, generative AI creates a homogenisation of art and creativity, and is actively harming professionals in creative industries by losing them work.
“When we see a company using AI for image creation, it cheapens their brand and shows they didn’t care enough to put the effort into their communication strategy.”
The group also argued that free and licensable image libraries already exist for organisations wanting low-cost alternatives.
Industry concerns
The debate comes amid wider national concerns from creative industry organisations over the growing use of generative AI in design, illustration, photography and publishing.
A recent report warns that many creative professionals believe AI-generated content is already reducing paid work opportunities across the sector.
The Brave New World? report, produced by a coalition including the Association of Illustrators, the Association of Photographers, Equity, the Independent Society of Musicians and the Society of Authors, represents the views of more than 80,000 creators.
They argued that the growing use of AI-generated images was increasing demand for AI systems trained on existing creative work, with the report claiming 99 per cent of creators believe their work has been scraped without consent.
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A third (32%) of illustrators reported losing commissions or having projects cancelled due to GenAI.
In her foreword, filmmaker and crossbench peer Baroness Beeban Kidron described the rise of unregulated generative AI as “one of the greatest acts of theft in modern history”.
She wrote, “What is being taken is not abstract ‘data’. It is the accumulated cultural, emotional, and intellectual labour of millions of people: our books, music, films, images, archives, and stories.”
Baroness Kidron also warned, “Copyright is not a technical inconvenience; it is the mechanism that allows creators to earn a living and to retain control over the meaning and integrity of their work.”
The report argues that AI systems are being trained using creative work “without permission, payment or even acknowledgement”, while many artists, illustrators, photographers and writers fear their livelihoods are under threat.
It describes the issue as “a new kind of industrial collapse”, warning that the disruption caused by generative AI is “digital – silent, invisible and global”.
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The highlights that the UK’s creative industries contribute £124.6 billion to the economy and support more than 2.4 million jobs, but warns the sector faces “a real and existential threat” if stronger protections are not introduced.
It also raises concerns about the environmental impact of AI systems, copyright law, transparency around training data, and what it describes as the growing risk of “digital replication that puts identity itself at stake”.
The authors argue that without stronger regulation and safeguards, the UK risks “dismantling one of its most successful and socially valuable growth industries”.
AI images used “sparingly”
A Bedford Borough Council spokesperson defended the use of the image, saying AI was only used “sparingly”.
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They said: “We only use AI images sparingly, but in this instance, there is no obvious photo showing football icons (such as the 1966 World Cup side) in Bedford town centre alongside John Bunyan and/or any other famous Bedfordians.
“Andy Johnson did make the stand-by list for the 2006 squad, though.
“We’re encouraging local eateries to take part in this competition so that we can promote the great places to eat in Bedford town centre throughout the summer.
“It will run at no cost to the taxpayers, so there would be no budget to commission bespoke artwork from local artists, but we do hope to boost awareness of and footfall to our many fantastic restaurants in Bedford town centre.”
Restaurants interested in taking part in the Bedford Restaurants World Cup can contact Bedford Borough Council via customer services on 01234 267422 for further information.
