Washington’s Lottery halts AI app after user says it generated a topless photo

Washington’s Lottery has shut down an app, created as part of a marketing campaign, that used generative AI to show people on fantasy vacations after a user said it generated a topless photo of her. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs The app, called “Test Drive a Win,” invited people to take or upload selfies, which it used to create AI-generated photos of them in exotic locations—places they could visit for real if they won the lottery. The app launched in early March, as part of a campaign from VML Seattle, and ran for a month without incident. But this week, one user said the AI returned an image that superimposed her head on a mostly naked body. The user sent the image to Seattle radio station KTTH, which published a censored version of it. The woman, described by the station as a 50-year-old mother from Tumwater, Washington, expressed shock at the image and dismay that tax dollars were being used on the campaign. She called for “whoever was responsible” to be fired. Washington’s Lottery confirmed to Ad Age it took the site down after being alerted to the user’s claim. The lottery said in a statement: “Prior to launch, we worked closely with the developers of the AI platform to establish strict parameters to govern image creation. We were made aware that a single user of the AI platform was purportedly provided an image that did not adhere to those guidelines. This campaign was launched more than a month ago and has had thousands of images created that all fall within the prescribed guidelines. Regardless, one purported user is too many, and as a result we have shut down the site.” Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here VML directed questions to the client. Secret Level, the entertainment studio that created the “Test Drive a Win” app, declined to additionally comment beyond the client statement. The app was part of a larger campaign from VML that used generative AI in other ways. A TV spot (below) showed actors similarly transported to exotic locales, as did a series of billboards.

Washington’s Lottery halts AI app after user says it generated a topless photo

Featured Stories