The newly released animated film, Avatar Aang, has become embroiled in controversy following the appearance of a ChatGPT quote during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con. The quote, which discussed East Asian facial hair traditions, was part of a presentation on the design process for the new character Tagah. It read, “In general it is not common for South East Asian cultures to emphasize or traditionally have a strong association with beards. Traditionally valued a clean-shaven appearance or minimal facial hair grooming.”
Following the circulation of a photograph of the slide, fans expressed concern online about the potential use of generative AI in the film's creation. Kat Tsai, an artist who worked on the movie, addressed these concerns on the social platform Bluesky, asserting that AI was not used in the art or design process. When asked to clarify the presence of the ChatGPT quote, Tsai stated, “I have no clue why it was on that slide or who put it there, and every member of the crew I worked with is 100% against AI.”
Tsai further emphasized that "Every aspect of the animation is handcrafted by real artists" and expressed hope that the slide would not detract from the effort invested in the film.
Despite these assurances regarding the visual aspects of the film, the mention of ChatGPT has raised further questions about other stages of production, such as marketing or scriptwriting. Unconfirmed rumors suggest the slide's content may have originated from a source unrelated to the film's production team, attributing the situation to an unfortunate instance of guilt by association. Paramount and Tsai have been contacted for additional information regarding the extent of any generative AI use in the production of Avatar Aang.