The secretariat of the "Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon" in Ibusuki City, Kagoshima Prefecture, released a statement on September 8 regarding the production of the event's promotional poster. The secretariat revealed that generative AI was utilized in the creation of the poster.
Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon Secretariat Issues Statement Following Concerns Over Use of Generative AI in Poster
This article is a translation. Read the Japanese original
On social media, critics pointed out that the poster's visuals appeared to be created by generative AI, raising questions about the depiction of the rape blossoms (nanohana), which differed from the actual flowers. In response, the secretariat explained that a graphic designer used generative AI while handling the composition, design, and processing and correction of images to finalize the visual.
Additionally, regarding the introductory text of the poster, the secretariat corrected a section that originally stated they had "commissioned an illustrator" to "commissioned a graphic designer." The secretariat also apologized for inappropriate elements in the shape of the rape blossoms, attributing this to insufficient verification during the production and proofreading stages.
Sources
- マラソン大会のポスターが“AIっぽい”と波紋 「説明に不適切な部分があった」と事務局声明 （ITmedia AI+, 2026-09-08）
- いぶすき菜の花マラソン大会 公式サイト