Jo Lawson-Tancred, British Museum’s A.I.-Generated Post Sparks Online Backlash, ArtNet, 2 February 2026
The post, containing A.I.-generated images, was swiftly deleted following an outcry in it comments section.
Several archaeologists have taken to social media to call out the British Museum for posting images containing A.I.-generated content on its Instagram and Facebook. After receiving a wave of backlash, the museum removed the posts.
The images, shared on January 27, feature a young woman seen standing in profile as she contemplates various museum exhibits. The caption read: “Taking time to take a closer look is always worthwhile,” with the hashtag #YourMuseum. Two accounts were tagged, one belonging to the A.I. model and another belonging to the A.I. marketing agency V8 Global. Their appearance on the British Museum’s social media has raised questions about the ethics of museums or heritage sites using A.I.