Englewood pauses AI-generated content after backlash on renewable energy video - Westword

The City of Englewood faced criticism after releasing an AI-generated video promoting its renewable natural gas system. The video, intended to highlight the city's efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, sparked controversy due to the energy consumption associated with generative AI.

What happened

The city shared a social media video on May 26 to promote its renewable natural gas system. The video was created using an artificial intelligence model, which led to criticism from the community. Commenters pointed out the irony of using energy-intensive AI to promote environmental sustainability. The AI-generated visuals contained errors, including incorrect depictions of the Denver skyline, a flag with 11 stripes, and unintelligible text on signs. In response to the backlash, the city paused the use of AI-generated graphics and video and will revisit its AI policy.