Discussions about AI-generated posters appeared online following the rise in such publication materials among local businesses.
A Reddit user on Monday, August 31 shared their thoughts on such a topic after encountering a stall while on their way home.
The stall was filled with posters, mostly AI-generated, of food businesses promoting their products.
The publication materials, although made for different busineses, appeared similar when grouped together due to the similarity of the fonts and layout, among others.
“Are Filipino businesses becoming too dependent on AI for everything now?” the Redditor wondered in the “r/Philippines” community.
“I just walked by passed [sic] this stall kanina habang pauwi ako and I was so surprised [that] everything is just made of AI. So I thought, are Filipino businesses too dependent on AI now?” the Reddit user wrote.
“What happened to originality and the brand to stand out amongst others? Is it because it’s free and convenient? Are we really going to waste resources for this? Lol,” the Redditor said.
“Now I’m actually worried that we might eventually reach a point where businesses just use AI because everyone else is doing it, rather than actually thinking about what makes their brand unique,” the Reddit user added.
The Redditor also claimed that some of the food images in the posters were not “even remotely close to what they’re selling,” implying that AI-generated images had been used to depict menu items.
Are Filipino businesses becoming too dependent on AI for everything now?
by
u/HiImRaNz in
Philippines
The post has garnered 4,000 upvotes and more than 530 comments from Reddit users, most of whom agreed with the uploader’s sentiments.
“May nakita akong ads dati. Video siya, pero naka-indicate na AI. Misleading kapag sa food, tapos hindi ganyan ang itsura pagka-order. Laki ng burger diyan sa pic,” a Reddit user wrote.
“Ugh, sakit sa mata, pare-parehas itsura,” another commented.
“Ako lang ba ‘di masyado nagagandahan sa AI designs? Parang ang gulo. Mas okay pa din ‘pag gawang graphic designers talaga, may art and emotions. Sa madaling salita, iba pa din ‘pag may human touch ang mga bagay-bagay. Something AI can’t replicate,” a different Redditor said.
“This is so heartbreaking. We went to Sagada two weeks ago and found that almost all cafes and shops are using AI-generated signages, menus, and other materials. They all look generic. They all give the same vibes. AI is killing local artistry [at] a pace artists cannot simply keep up,” another wrote.
“AI menus are really tacky. Nakakawalang-gana kumain kapag ganiyan nakikita ko, para akong masusuka dahil sa itsura. I don’t know if it’s just me, but the food doesn’t look like food at all with those AI-generated menus,” a different Pinoy said.
“Pati nga ‘yung tarp sa patay, may nakita ako nakasabit tapos AI slop din, pero same layout and style niyan sa food, lol,” another Redditor commented.
The concern is not limited to local businesses. It has also affected other countries, with some consumers saying that seeing AI-generated menus has affected their appetite.
A writer for Food and Wine also encountered menus with “same font, colors and structures as dozens of others the restaurant had posted,” noting that the designs looked too similar to one another.
Some restaurants in Canada also faced backlash for relying on AI to design their menus and promote their products, with consumers saying that the materials were “not appetizing.”
There have also been concerns about food items being generated by AI instead of being properly photographed, which could lead to unrealistic expectations among customers.
I need you all to zoom in on these ai cheesesteaks with onion rings and fries 🤮 https://t.co/ne99CEzjje pic.twitter.com/v1B9iftqX8
— Lauren Rinaldi 🧚♀️ (@LRinaldiArt) July 31, 2026
The use of generative AI or artificial intelligence for convenience has become more prevalent, with some businesses turning to the technology to make certain tasks easier.
In 2024, food delivery app Zomato banned the use of AI-generated images in menus and promotional materials in an effort to preserve authenticity.
Following the move, it also offered discounted photoshoots to restaurants.
