The tradition of surreal photography has always aimed to arouse wonder, curiosity and a healthy discomfort with being in a dream. Today, a surreal image might raise a knee-jerk accusation: “This was generated by artificial intelligence.”
It’s one of the things AI is becoming increasingly good at: turning strange ideas into images that look like real ones, in defiance of all reason. But the masses reject these images as real. Research conducted by Getty Images’ VisualGPS platform shows that while… 74% of consumers They acknowledge that an AI-generated image can be as realistic as a photograph, and 78 percent say that because of its origin, the generated image cannot be considered real.
Le Creuset anticipated this when it launched New campaign From the quirky, surreal imagery – which depicts the brand’s iconic ceramic cookware as the size of a realistic boat, bobbing alongside yachts in the harbor – it debuts a new nautical hue. That’s why they were quick to credit the human artists behind the work, dispelling any doubts about AI being at play.
Many other brands have taken a similar tack, even going so far as to get other brands excited about AI-generated content — as in the case of Zevia’s “Real Soda for Real People” campaign.which links a product’s real components with real, man-made images, setting both in contrast to its AI-happy, over-processed competitors.
Brands may be enjoying the role AI is playing in the cultural moment, but the consequences are serious. As AI models become more powerful, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between AI-generated visuals and human-captured visuals. In response, consumers are Actively judge content based on how It has been industrialized, forcing brands to see every stage of creativity as a potential touchpoint for the consumer. Demonstrating human ingenuity and creativity has never been more important in building trust.
Doubts about artificial intelligence are affecting the market
Generative AI has attracted skeptics since it was launched into the public consciousness three years ago, but the past few months have felt like a real swing of the pendulum. Consumers have expressed a strong aversion to AI-generated ads for myriad reasons, from environmental concerns to perceived “laziness” on the part of the advertiser.
The shift reached another inflection point in late March, when a trending story spread over the course of a single news cycle The AI video generator has been turned offthe author’s novel was Canceled due to AI generated typingand notable artificial intelligence production deals Fell through. This moment was a harsh reality check for those involved in generative AI, and a powerful validation of fears about the promise of limitless, frictionless content.
This is not to say that all skepticism about AI comes directly from disdain for the technology. People’s opinions about artificial intelligence as a whole It turned out positivelyDespite backlash to its use in brand campaigns and entertainment media. The difference comes from how it is used and what consumers expect from the user. While consumers do not hesitate to use AI in their personal lives, it is taking brands to a much higher level. A well-known brand must have the resources and ability to invest in human-led creativity. Relying heavily on AI-generated content is not seen as innovation or efficiency, but rather a lack of effort.
The growing backlash to AI-generated content is causing brands to reconsider how they use AI in their advertising workflow. It also pushes them to “prove” that their content is original; As a result, the pursuit of authenticity has become a commercial franchise and an aesthetic endeavour.
What does a human “look like”? The emergence of the anti-AI aesthetic
As image generation models advance and absorb more training data, the AI ”look” of the output becomes more accurate. However, there are still some distinguishing features: excessive quality, lack of depth, and a “bug” or “uncanny valley” effect that is often difficult to describe but impossible not to feel.
AI image generators, trained using content extracted from the web, also reproduce stereotypes. Generative AI is based on probability, and without a diverse, intentionally curated data set to influence the model, the most likely generations do not conform to the world as it is, but to the stereotypes that are perpetuated online.
None of these qualities reflect what consumers are looking for in brand imagery. Amid a deluge of synthetic content, audiences are clinging to what’s real, and authenticity has turned from a brand aspiration into a new code of honor. But even authenticity is slippery, changing in response to consumer sentiment and self-expression tendencies.
To create content that looks real Vibrant and realBrands need to address consumers’ expectations of AI-generated content. A new anti-AI aesthetic is emerging, as brands aim to mark their content as human-made at first glance. While analyzing visual trends in global advertising, my team at Getty Images noticed a surge in distinct styles and choices that show a stronger human hand.
One is the tactile, handcrafted look and feel, with visible imperfections and rich textures. As reported by Vogue, A “Childish” quality. It stands out as a symbol of authenticity and intentionality, where in the past this aesthetic was reserved for more playful and experimental brands. In a world where artificial intelligence is accelerating our already unprecedented access to information, naivety and wonder are less qualities of youth than of humanity, a refreshing break from the always digital world. Zevia’s new ads are a strong example of this trend in action: the recurring robot character, who can only drink soda with artificial ingredients without glitches, has a distinctly hand-sculpted look.
With reverence Cindy Crawford Pepsi ad 1992Zevia tapped into another trend that brands use to signal authenticity: nostalgia. People miss the things that brought them joy when they were younger, but from an aesthetic perspective, they also miss the pre-AI look. However, web-scraping AI generators are adept at recreating vintage aesthetics; This is where the texture comes in to counter the artificial softness.
We’ve also noticed that skeptical audiences want to see real evidence of effort and intent. To meet this need, brands like Apple are leaning towards it Behind the scenes content And the visuals. More subtly, they place a renewed emphasis on videography and photography to enhance the irreplaceable value of human craft.
Patron recently did this in A New campaign With Guillermo del Toro. Bringing in Oscar-winning guest directors is not uncommon for major brands, but “The Perfect Pour” intentionally highlights the importance of craft, blending the creative signatures of the director and the brand to equate craftsmanship with quality. Even OpenAI focused on human craft in the 2025 campaign, using 35mm film to give a nostalgic, handmade feel — an ironic choice for an LLM ad, yet one that authentically reflects our deeply personal relationship with technology.
Brands are also resisting the look of AI with compositions that evoke randomness and spontaneity in ways that tools trained on existing images cannot. They look to package the bolts of serendipity and everyday surprises into a visual form to separate themselves from the sameness of AI. Meryl’s last “Starts from the outside” campaign.for example, leans toward randomness in its visual composition, expanding the campaign’s theme of the wonders of unpredictability.
By employing these storytelling techniques, brands are not only developing eye-catching aesthetics—an aesthetic that may ultimately define this moment in advertising—but also building credibility by celebrating human craft.
Find balance
Although many consumers balk at using AI-generated visuals in marketing, organizations have already made significant investments in AI for creative workflows. Eighty-three percent of advertising executives say they have done so Deploying generative artificial intelligence In the creative process, and 95 percent of marketers We expect technology to significantly impact their work.
A world that prioritizes human creativity should not avoid AI entirely. Technology can help creatives overcome the “blank slate” problem that may prevent them from starting or completing important projects. Even generative deliverables that don’t quite fit their vision can challenge them to think in the right direction.
Disclosure and transparency are crucial, both for human output and AI. “Man-made” is a valuable connotation. “Generative AI” is both a guardrail and a show of good faith. With consumers placing such a high value on the process, brands may need to disclose where AI is being used at any stage of creative development. This has already become a trend among video game developers, who face pressure from players who hate AI, and one developer went so far as to… Replacement of assets generated by artificial intelligence Which were only present in the game as temporary placeholders. Other brands should expect similar scrutiny, especially as advertising moves toward full media production as branded entertainment.
This doesn’t mean that brands should adopt a clear anti-AI aesthetic, as there is still plenty of controversy, and many brands will remain bullish on AI, targeting boosters over detractors. Ultimately, what matters most to consumers is for brands to be authentic and true to themselves, whether or not AI plays a role in the perception of their identity.
