A Santa Cruz restaurant was recently the centre of controversy after its AI-generated logo was lambasted by critics. Flooding the newly opened business's reviews with one-star ratings, the vocal opposition's outrage led to calls for a new human-made design.
Whether we like it or not, AI is becoming increasingly normalised, but the divisive response to the technology still rages on. While I would argue there are certainly productive ways to use AI properly, the backlash to AI art in branding and logo design is a heartening response that proves many still value the unique beauty of human creativity.
Rachel Smith, owner of The Salty Otter, was shocked to receive such heated backlash after her AI restaurant logo was criticised by locals. Mere months after opening, reviews were flooded with harsh criticism, instructing the owner to change the design.
Article continues below"I have received one-star reviews from people saying they want 99 Bottles back and that I should have paid for a local artist to do the logo instead of a crappy AI logo,” the owner wrote on Instagram. "A lifelong dream has been crushed by a group of locals," Smith added.
"I used some AI to create the otter and then worked on the otter as well as putting in the surfboard, border, background... I colorized it," she admitted, adding, "This is not a logo where someone just keyed in some words and pressed a button!"
In response to the backlash, Smith released a new logo design – a simple black and white text-based wordmark baring The Salty Otter name. "This is very upsetting to me, but I will change the logo to plain text because getting one-star reviews based on our name and logo is harming our business," Smith explained.
While I don't agree with the harsh backlash to Smith's design decision, this controversy goes to show that many are savvy when it comes to AI art. With concerns over the ethical implications of the technology and the risk to artists' livelihoods, the heated response was arguably predictable.
For more AI news, check out the wildest AI moments of 2025 or take a look at why the AI caricature trend makes so many creatives uncomfortable.
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