Formula E team scraps AI social media influencer after furious fans' backlash

11 January 2024 , 17:37

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Mahindra Racing created a fake social media influencer using AI (Image: Mahindra Racing)

A Formula E team has been forced to axe its use of a fake social media influencer after prompting an online backlash from fuming fans.

Mahindra Racing created 'Ava' using tools powered by artificial intelligence ahead of the new FE season, which begins this weekend in Mexico City. The influencer was designed to promote the team over the course of the year.

"Having Ava, an influencer that is strongly associated with us and documents our journey, but with a broader appeal to help promote our core values as an organisation, is a project we're hugely excited about," said the team's head of partnerships Roanne Crouse.

The account @avabeyondreality was created on Instagram with 11 posts published, dating back to the beginning of December. But backlash only came this week after Mahindra announced the project publicly on Tuesday, describing 'Ava' as: "Our go-to sustainable tech champ, navigating the cutting edge of innovation to create positive change."

However, the project has not had the desired effect. Fans criticised the plan in their droves on social media. Many were frustrated that the team had chosen to invent a person to promote the team rather than hiring someone real for that role.

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Mahindra team principal Frederic Bertrand failed to apologise to fans, but did confirm that his outfit had taken action. "Nurturing diversity, inclusion and innovation is at the heart of Mahindra Racing," he posted on X.

"Our AI influencer program was designed with this innovation in mind. Your comments hold tremendous value. We have listened, understood and decided to discontinue the project."

Motorsport PR guru Devin Altieri was one of many critics of the project on social media. "Mahindra creating an AI team ambassador that is a woman instead of simply hiring one real, actual woman to fill that role is so incredibly messed up," she wrote.

Fan Cel Stone agreed, adding: "They could've just hired a woman. Why would you want AI to do a job someone who is human can do? Talk about wanting more women in motorsport but does this instead."

And motorsport journalist Tom Evans said: "Mahindra's latest announcement of an 'AI ambassador' is incredibly disappointing for many reasons. Not only is it extremely uninteresting or engaging for fans, it also takes away the job of an actual content creator they could have hired."

Daniel Moxon