I have a rant that I need to share. And judging from some comments I’ve seen on social media, I think many of you share this rant too. We live in a weird-weird time. The “AI boom” has hit the world harder than the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. And as a car enthusiast, we’re not safe from its grubby little robot fingers. The influx of AI-slop car event flyers that you’ve no-doubt seen on social media as of late??  Yeah – let’s talk about those absolute abominations for a second.

Now to be clear, I’m not “anti-AI”… 

Admittedly, I don’t really use AI all that much outside of the occasional Google-AI search, but I think it has some practical-use. However, as someone that moonlights in the creative industry (written automotive journalism & podcasting), I’m firmly against using AI to substitute actual, real-deal creativity. Just as I’m sitting here typing this article in my own words, I expect the same level of effort & authenticity from my peers in car culture. Today, I’m talking specifically about car show hosts/organizers. Simply put… 

If you’re advertising your car show with an AI-generated flyer, I’m not attending…

Have some dignity. These flyers all have a few things in common: 1) They look generic & lazy. 2) Not real personality, flair, or creativity. 3) Explosions of oversaturated, bright colors. And 4) Lack of key information, like date/time/location. 

The car scene is all about creativity, and AI-slop car show flyers are the antithesis of that.

Some people will try to make the argument of “Well, what I typed into the prompt to generate the flyer was creative.” But c’mon, you know damn-well you were just trying to take the easy/fast route and cut corners. And if you put that little effort into the advertising, I’m gonna assume that the event itself will reflect that same lack of effort, creativity, & vibe.

As car people, we’re fortunate to be immersed in a rich culture that’s full of creative minds…

Don’t dumb it down with generic, lazy AI slop. Either put some heart in it, or sit it out. I follow countless car people on social media that do graphic design, digital art, rendering, etc. Sure, there might be a small fee. But I almost promise you the return on investment will be more people actually taking your event seriously, and ultimately more people showing-up to the event itself. 

Support those who support the culture, And defend it from inauthenticity.

If we continue to allow (and accept) AI-prompts sucking the creativity out of event flyers, it’s only a matter of time before people start looking to AI to come up with ideas for car builds. And doesn’t that defeat the entire purpose of building a car? Personality, passion, & creativity – that’s why we’re here. Not to consume AI slop. Creative spirit is a vital pillar within car culture, and we need to protect it at all costs. Stay vigilant y’all. <3

Article by Josh Guillot