Viewers fume over The Block’s ample use of AI this seasonOne of Australia’s biggest TV shows has undergone a noticeable change this season - and it has some viewers seeing red.Nick Bond@bondnickbond2 min readSeptember 7, 2026 - 9:56AMRealityDon't miss out on the headlines from Reality. Followed categories will be added to My News.We need to talk about a new trend that’s taken over The Block – and no, it’s not every contestant this season decking out their Mount Eliza manors in 17 different shades of beige.No, there’s been a noticeable change to season 22 of The Block: The use of AI-generated content in the show. It first raised eyebrows during the season premiere last month, when some of the new contestants were asked to name their spirit animals - then promptly morphed into them.Still, The Block does sometimes like to start a season with a random bit of fun - remember back in 2020, when the show’s judges were introduced in episode 1 with a deeply awkward dance montage? But the AI visuals and music have continued throughout the season. A.I.-generated cutaways were littered through Sunday night’s episode, prompting another wave of anger from viewers. A mention that cattle station manager Adam had been in a sociable mood around the worksite this week led to an AI cutaway of Adam dancing ‘in da club’:The Block contestant Adam cuts loose in the club - thanks to AI.Minutes later, personal trainer Tayla was shown enthusing about the margarita machine she planned to install on her home’s entertaining terrace – and then we were back at the same A.I.-generated club, for not one but two cutaways of Tayla dancing, margarita in one hand and machine in the other. She really should’ve cloaked that.Even the judges weren’t immune, with another seemingly AI-generated cutaway later in the episode showing the trio running in slow motion while giddily flying kites together. At least, it looked like AI - but perhaps it wasn’t? That’s what watching The Block is like this season: Every new scene has you second-guessing what’s real and what’s not. The Block judges fly kites together – real or A. I.?“Can we get rid of the stupid AI songs and garbage, it’s not funny, it’s not witty and it’s completely ruining the show,” one viewer complained on The Block’s official Instagram account overnight.Another complained the A.I. content felt “very tacky” and like they were “aiming the show for five-year-olds.”Another begged the show to “STOP all the AI music and videos … it’s cringe and over used.”The use of AI this season hasn’t just been contained to the show’s producers either – it’s also been offered as a tool for contestants to help with design inspiration and planning of their renos. The show’s longtime executive producer David Barbour defended the show’s enthusiastic embrace of AI in an interview with New Idea last month. “The Block has always embraced new ways of telling stories, which has been one of the reasons the show is now 22 seasons in. This season, AI has become another creative tool in our storytelling toolkit,” he told the outlet.More Coverage90s music icon’s dire financial issues exposedLeah Bitsky – Page Six Star reveals what DiCaprio was really likeAndrew BucklowOriginally published as Viewers fume over The Block’s ample use of AI this seasonJoin the conversationAdd your comment to this storyTo join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? RegisterJoin the conversation, you are commenting as LogoutMore related storiesQLD NewsChance meeting shot Irwin to fame – and he was almost ‘Crocodile Man’Steve Irwin’s manager and best mate John Stainton was the mastermind behind the Crocodile Hunter and was there the day he died, as he reveals the unheard of way Irwin did business. WELCOME TO HIGH STEAKSRead moreRealityReality TV’s dark side: A history of scandalsAustralian reality television has produced more than its share of drama off-screen, with stars facing charges ranging from fraud and assault to murder.Read more