Iona Z AI image incident — Nov 2026
Edinburgh musician Iona Z cancelled a performance at Duke’s Bar after the venue used generative AI to alter her face on promotional posters without her.
- Reported date
- Nov 9, 2026
- Target
- Iona Z
The exact incident date was not established. This entry is dated by its source report.
Edinburgh-based musician Iona Z cancelled a scheduled performance at Duke’s Bar in Leith after discovering that the venue had used generative AI to alter her appearance on promotional materials. The artist withdrew from the November 20 gig after her concerns regarding the unauthorized manipulation of her likeness were initially dismissed by the event organizer.
What happened
Iona Z discovered that her face had been warped by an automated AI template used for promotional posters. Upon raising the issue, she reported that the organizer minimized her concerns, claiming the posters could not be redone and describing her reaction as mad. The situation escalated when the organizer ultimately cancelled her set and a sticker was placed over her image on the posters displayed at the venue.
Following media inquiries, Duke’s Bar issued a formal apology, acknowledging that applying an AI-assisted effect to the artist's photograph without informed consent was a mistake. The venue admitted that the communication Iona Z received was dismissive and failed to meet professional standards. The individual responsible for the design and the subsequent handling of the complaint has since resigned from the venue. The owner of Duke’s Bar contacted the musician to apologize personally, and the establishment stated it would work to better understand artist concerns regarding image ownership, creative consent, and the use of AI in promotional materials.