The mayor of Australia’s second-largest city’s desperate attempt to get residents excited about dozens of potential new parks has failed miserably due to the use of creepy AI-generated concept images.
Melbourne Mayor Nick Reece shared a series of AI-generated images on social media on Sunday of a number of parks he has pledged to build if re-elected next month.
Cr Reece has pledged to transform the CBD into a ‘Garden City’ by opening 28 new parks when he returns to the top job.
But the plan failed after the AI images left residents more concerned than happy about the new greenery.
The footage showed a number of confusing errors, including two people lying on the ground metres away from playing children, a man with two legs fused into one and several extra arms, prompting mixed reactions from bewildered Australians.
“What is your policy on the mutants invading Melbourne in your photos?” someone responded.
“Bro, you need to take these people to the hospital,” said another.
A third joked: ‘Is this after the nukes hit Melbourne, nature takes over and only the mutants survive?’
Melbourne Mayor Nick Reece on Sunday shared a series of AI-generated images of some of the parks he has pledged to create if re-elected.
The footage showed a number of confusing errors, including two people lying on the ground, a man with two legs fused into one, and several extra arms
Melbourne City Council is due to hold an election in October, with Mr Reece pledging to transform Victoria’s capital into a ‘Garden City’ by opening 28 new parks
A fourth wrote: ‘My favourite is this man who appears to be walking with his pet shoe.’
“Why is there a dead person in your park?” asked another.
Others questioned why Cr Reece chose to use AI-generated images rather than hiring a professional to illustrate his grand vision.
“Please hire a real digital illustrator,” someone suggested.
Another asked, “Don’t you have enough money to pay concept artists?”
Cr Reece defended his use of AI by jokingly replying: ‘No humans were harmed in the making of these renders.’
He claimed that the new park initiative will provide new green spaces in almost all neighbourhoods of Melbourne.
“Victoria was once known as the Garden State, I want Melbourne to be the Garden City. This is the biggest addition to our city’s parks and gardens since Charles La Trobe mapped Melbourne’s parks in the 1840s,” Cr Reece said.
‘Every great city is defined by its parks and gardens. With this plan we are taking Melbourne’s green spaces to the next level.
‘Almost every area in Melbourne will get at least one new park or green space thanks to this initiative, making our city an even better and greener place to live.’
Commentators questioned why Mr Reece chose to use AI-generated images rather than hiring someone to properly illustrate his parks
One of the images appeared to show a man ‘walking his pet shoe’, while others had extra arms and legs
Melbourne’s mayor defended his use of AI by jokingly replying: ‘No people were harmed in the making of these renders’
Some of the spaces being transformed include the Banana Alley Vaults, under the West Gate Freeway in Southbank, Moonee Ponds Creek and the border between North Melbourne and West Melbourne.
In addition to the above areas, five new or improved parks are being created in the city centre and Docklands, with the first transformation taking place at Brown Alley Square.
The initiative will also provide subsidies to owners of existing buildings to create publicly accessible roof gardens or green walls. It will also reform the permit system to allow more homeowners and businesses to create gardens along sidewalks and alleys. The initiative will also support building and business owners in purchasing more plants.