While organizations are pushing for AI to be more integrated into their day-to-day, consumers are less excited about the technology appearing on their school supplies.
In a Reddit post, a shopper shared a photo of a new school folder. The design featured a neon sports car floating in front of a pyramid-sunset mashup that was easily identified as AI-generated.
The car's wheels and bodywork don't quite line up, the reflections look mismatched, and the whole piece has that unmistakable "AI glow" that digital artists have warned about for months.
In the post, the shopper added little commentary. They didn't have to. The visual speaks for itself, and commenters quickly confirmed what they were seeing.
"From a distance it's nothing, but if you zoom in just enough… oh yeah, that's definitely AI," one user wrote.
Another added that the folder design merges part of the car into the back tire, an obvious AI rendering flaw that immediately gave it away.
AI-generated products have started popping up everywhere, from university Instagrams to puzzles and now school supplies. When they're printed and sold without careful vetting, the results can be glitchy, uncanny, and confusing.
Beyond aesthetics, mass-produced AI art raises questions about creativity, copyright, and fair compensation for real artists whose work may have been scraped to train the models creating these designs. Many artists are wary that companies will be able to benefit from others' creativity by selling goods without due credit and compensation.
Additionally, when stores flood their shelves with cheap, low-quality goods produced by automated systems, this can contribute to even more waste. Poorly made or poorly designed items get tossed faster, adding to the growing stream of plastics, paper waste, and packaging that ends up in landfills.
Commenters on Reddit had plenty to say about the folder — and what it represents.
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Do you think robots will ever fully replace our jobs?
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Yes 🤖 "You're going to be disappointed when you realize this is only the beginning," said one Redditor, pointing to the growing wave of AI-generated merch hitting stores.
Another added, "Yeah it's definitely AI, i bet they just mass produce s*** like this. Zero creativity or care."
As AI art continues creeping into everyday products, the debate isn't going anywhere. And if this folder is any sign, shoppers are going to keep noticing when something feels just a little too machine-made.
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