KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation, a government entity under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, is facing backlash online over a contest on creating posters using artificial intelligence (AI).
The competition, which was announced by the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex in a social media posting last week, will be held on February 25 to 29 in conjunction with National Craft Day 2024 (HKK 2024), set to run from February 21 to March 4.
According to postings on the contest, participants are allowed to submit multiple submissions and will have to upload their works on their social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X with the hashtag #AIHKK2024.
Participants will be judged based on “creativity, copywriting as well as the amounts of likes and shares”. RM50 prize money will also be given to each of the 30 winners.
The contest is one of the activities at the craft complex here in commemoration of National Craft Day, as well as craft exhibitions, demonstrations, and appreciation workshops.
On X, user @ComicsByVieN shared a screenshot of the competition announcement and appeared to lash out against the contest, claiming that AI technology affects the creative industry.
Chiming in, user @Pennycilin3 said the competition is an “insult” to the aim behind the National Craft Day event, which has been held since 2003 to increase awareness and knowledge on locally produced craft products.
User @Syke952, on the other hand, posited that the contest organisers might not be fully aware of the difference between AI-generated works and digital drawings. – February 18, 2024