Singapore flag or Indonesia flag? AI-generated National Day banner causes outrage

SINGAPORE: A National Day banner displayed in Singapore ahead of the nation’s 61st birthday has come under fire after members of the public spotted multiple apparent inaccuracies, including errors on the Singapore flag and what appears to be a fictional landmark.

The errors have led netizens to assert that the banner appears to be AI-generated, instead of being designed by a human team.

The banner, which prominently features the slogan “SG61 – Celebrating Singapore’s 61st Birthday”, depicts a family facing Singapore’s skyline while waving national flags. However, several details have drawn criticism online, with many questioning how the design was approved for public display.

Among the most glaring issues is a flag on the left side of the banner that resembles Indonesia’s national flag rather than Singapore’s. The flag features only two horizontal red and white bands and is missing Singapore’s distinctive white crescent moon and five stars in the upper left corner.

A second Singapore flag held by the children on the right side of the artwork also appears to contain malformed symbols. Instead of five clearly defined stars surrounding the crescent, the stars appear as indistinct blob-like shapes, prompting further criticism over the quality of the AI-generated artwork.

Adding to the list of apparent mistakes is the depiction of what netizens identified as a “Singapore National Indoor Stadium”. Such venue does not exist.

A closer look led netizens to identify what they believed were even more AI-generated inconsistencies. Several Singaporeans online pointed out that the skyline in the background does not resemble Singapore’s cityscape, while others highlighted what they described as awkward anatomy and unnatural poses among the people featured in the artwork.

Pointing out that these are common tell-tale signs often associated with AI-generated images, netizens noted that the girl’s ponytail appeared to be growing out of her left ear instead of the back of her head. She also appears to be holding a stick with no obvious purpose.

Others even pointed out what they described as an unusually visible panty line on the woman depicted in the banner, saying such an unnecessary detail further reinforced their belief that the image had been generated by AI without proper editing.

Some also questioned several pictograms placed along the bottom of the banner, including icons flanking the “One Nation One People” slogan, saying they appeared out of place and lacked any obvious connection to National Day celebrations.

The image quickly circulated online, drawing widespread criticism over what many saw as an overreliance on generative AI without sufficient human review.

One commenter dismissed the design as simply “Embarrassing AI slop, while another lamented, “So much for national pride…”

Several netizens also argued that the incident reflected a broader failure to support local creative talent. “This is just sad. Instead of commissioning local creatives, we get this AI slop,” one person wrote.

Another commenter called for accountability, saying, “Send to your MP. I’m very disappointed that they would rather outsource national day graphics to AI than to our own citizens who actually care about our country.”

They argued, “This sends a message that cutting costs is more important than supporting our own citizens and residents who make a living out creating art.”

Others questioned how the banner could have made it through the approval process despite containing multiple obvious mistakes and slipshod work.

Asking how the errors escaped multiple rounds of checks, one netizen wrote, “Who didn’t vet ah? So many eyes cannot spot.”

“I wonder which robot approved this,” one commenter remarked sarcastically while another netizen said, bluntly, “Please sack the useless team who approved this because no work was done.”

Another commenter said the controversy illustrated that AI-generated content still requires proper human oversight. They wrote, “Why no one pointed out these issues at time of approval? AI can be used, but still needs editing, can’t blindly generate.”

Another summed up the situation by saying, “Banner’s a victim of AI slop and negligent humans.”

Several commenters stressed that AI should not be blamed exclusively, arguing that the technology still requires competent human oversight.

“We all know the slops AI is capable of. But this? Every step of the process totally no human oversight? Is this still AI slop or the humans’ slop?” one netizen asked.

Some netizens pointed out that the “Indonesia flag” on the banner appears to have been corrected but noted that the image still contains a number of errors.

Others argued that the incident reflected an excessive dependence on generative AI. “This is so embarrassing, stop using AI for EVERYTHING!!” one frustrated commenter wrote.

Some resorted to humour, with one joking, “Singapore just signed a secret merger pact with Indonesia?” in reference to the Indonesian-looking flag.

But many viewed the mistakes as more serious, arguing they reflected a lack of respect for the country’s national symbols. “So much for respect of national symbols,” one commenter wrote.

Singapore’s national flag is protected under the National Symbols Act, which governs the use of the National Flag, State Crest and National Anthem.

The law provides that the national flag should be represented accurately and also makes clear that the country’s national symbols must be treated with dignity and respect.

Among other provisions, the Act prohibits the deliberate misuse, mutilation, defacement or disrespectful treatment of national symbols, with offenders liable to fines upon conviction.