AI Generated Ads

I'm noticing lots of backlash from people in the social media comments of businesses that post their ad flyers when some of the hallmarks of AI image generation are spotted.

An AI ad proves one objectively true thing: AI was used. The backlash I see though is that people are adding a motive --like corner cutting-- and morality to these businesses based on that objective truth.

Are businesses choosing between AI and hiring an artist or graphic designer or are they choosing between AI, Canva, clip art, or something in-between --or nothing? Is it possible the artist who lost that job opportunity to AI didn't exist because it's hard to cut a corner that's not in a budget?

In the court of public opinion, does using the cheapest tool to get the job done condemn a business? Think about every stock photo or templated restaurant menu used in the last few decades that are basically the same thing. I don't know that we should try to read moral character into AI generated advertisements.

What's more is that it seems undetectable or invisible AI use is fine, but detecting the use of AI is problematic. This kinda rewards the business that hides its AI and punishes the one that doesn't. The research mentioned predicts this: judgment doesn't reduce AI use, it just pushes it underground.

Data centers power every Google search, cloud backup, and Netflix binge, but those invisible uses don't draw a boycott. Is it only a dealbreaker when the output is visibly AI? The big cost IS training the model, which happens once and gets spread across billions of uses. One flyer adds about as much energy as a few seconds of streaming video.

Everyone here has walked right past AI content without knowing and felt nothing. Does the outrage only shows up once there's a label on it and what are people actually objecting to? The tech or the knowledge?