Oakland First Fridays AI experiment did not go well

The backlash was swift

By Megan Rose Dickey

2:15 PM PDT on April 1, 2025

Oakland First Fridays post on Instagram featuring an AI-generated flyer. Photo: Megan Rose Dickey

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Bay Area organization Oakland First Fridays, a monthly event that celebrates art, food, culture, and music, is in some hot water after using AI for a flyer marketing its upcoming April 4 event.

On March 15, the organization posted an AI-generated flyer that depicts a version of the Fox Theater’s iconic Oakland sign on a nondescript building. The backlash was swift, with multiple commenters criticizing the organization’s use of AI art, despite its focus on supporting artists.

Monday’s post came in response to outcry on Instagram, with some calling the practice of using AI in the flyer “incredibly ironic” and another saying “ai is not it.”

In a lengthy post on Instagram yesterday, organizers said the event is "struggling financially” and does not have the budget to hire artists to create designs. But it wasn’t the team’s “intention to offend artists or disrespect their craft in any way,” organizers wrote.

Oakland First Fridays formed back in 2011 as a celebration of culture, art, food, and music. The free event features a variety of vendors and art installations, and attracts up to 30,000 people.

In Monday’s post, organizers said this is the first time the First Fridays has experimented with AI to create a flyer. They suggested the flyer wasn’t completely AI-generated, as “we made significant edits and adjustments to create the final version.”

Others, however, were in support of the decision. One person wrote that “AI is convenient and it’s what is now, it is what is.”

Organizers for Oakland First Fridays, who did not respond to Gazetteer SF’s request for comment, added that “supporting local artists has always been at the heart of what we do” and that they will continue exploring ways to uplift and showcase their work while navigating our financial realties.”