Redfern Station's AI-Generated Christmas Artwork to Be Removed
The Sydney Morning Herald
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Details
- Date Published
- 26 Nov 2025
- Priority Score
- 1
- Australian
- Yes
- Created
- 27 Nov 2025, 11:16 am
Description
The scene featured a koala head on a kangaroo’s torso, a rodent with limbs not connected to its body, and kangaroos wearing bikini tops.
Summary
The removal of an AI-generated Christmas banner from Redfern Station in Sydney highlights public apprehension over the use of AI in art. The artwork, featuring distorted depictions of Australian animals, drew criticism and was characterized as 'AI slop' by online commentators. This incident underscores ongoing public discourse about the role of artificial intelligence in creative fields and the potential for AI to produce outputs that don't meet public standards. The controversy aligns with global inquiries into the implications of AI in public spaces, although it lacks direct reference to catastrophic or existential AI risks.
Body
ByMary WardNovember 27, 2025 — 3.37pmSaveLog in,registerorsubscribeto save articles for later.Save articles for laterAdd articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.Got itNormal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeA Christmas banner will be removed from Redfern station, after observers raised concerns about the artwork being AI-generated.The banner, erected between platforms 10 and 11 at the station, depicted an Australian Christmas scene, with Santa Claus on the beach in board shorts and thongs surrounded by a cast of local animals.Redfern station’s Christmas banner will be removed after concerns were raised about its use of AI.Credit:Steven SiewertHowever, on closer inspection, several “animals” in the cartoon showed obvious signs of being AI-generated.One animal in the artwork appeared to be made from a koala’s head on a kangaroo’s torso, while the scene also featured a rodent with limbs not connected to its body, and kangaroos wearing bikini tops.More than 3000 people liked a post on Reddit’s r/sydney forumdescribing the banner as “AI slop”.Transport for NSW confirmed on Thursday afternoon that it had decided to remove the banner from the station’s Christmas display.A koala’s head on a kangaroo’s body, a flag floating in the air and a rodent with detached limbs were among the issues identified with the banner.Credit:Steven Siewert“Sydney Trains’ Redfern Station staff have displayed artwork for several years to help create a positive end-of-year atmosphere for our customers,” a spokesperson said.“We received feedback about this year’s display and, in response, have decided to remove the artwork.”AdvertisementThe agency did not answer questions about whether the banner, which does not appear to be available for sale online, had been generated by Transport for NSW staff.LoadingRedfern station is one of several major stations on the Sydney Trains network decorated for the holiday season. This year’s decorations, which also include lights and a Christmas tree at the station’s Lawson Street Opal gates, were erected on November 8.The controversial Christmas banner is not the first seasonal artwork pulled due to concerns about the use of AI this year.In London, a large mural at Kingston-upon-Thames’ Riverside Walk has been removed after it also faced public backlash.The artwork was described by the owner of the wall as a Christmas scene “inspired by the 16th-century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder”, according tolocal online outletLondon Centric.However, several elements of the mammoth white Christmas scene were obviously the product of poor AI generation, including snowmen with several eyes, and dogs with chickens’ bodies.The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights.Sign up here.SaveLog in,registerorsubscribeto save articles for later.License this articleCity lifeAIPublic transportTransport for NSWSydneyFor subscribersMary Wardis a reporter at The Sun-Herald.Connect viaTwitteroremail.Loading