These photos of Harry and Meghan could land Aussies in hot water
Exclusive: Small businesses jumping on a seemingly harmless celebrity AI trend could land in hot water with the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan.
Dozens of Australian brands posted AI-generated images of the royals ‘visiting’ their stores or sampling their products as a bit of fun during their Australia tour last week.

According to an expert in consumer law, certain social media posts might violate Australian Consumer Law.

Prince Harry and Meghan were in Australia last week for a whirlwind four day tour, with stops in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.(Supplied)

Crafting an AI-generated image to portray an event that never occurred can potentially mislead audiences, contravening Australian Consumer Law.

Such images could be interpreted as false celebrity endorsements, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has the authority to take legal action for deceptive practices.

However, exceptions exist when the AI image is unmistakably a parody or is explicitly labeled as AI-generated.

“For a parody to be valid, it must be obvious and something that no one would mistake at first glance,” Patterson explained to nine.com.au.

AI disclaimers should also be prominently displayed, not buried in small print or hidden within hashtags.

Businesses could also land in hot water if the famous people who appear in their AI image decide to sue for misleading conduct.

“Celebrities may well litigate to protect their own reputations and their own brands,” Paterson said.

She advises businesses to steer clear of the celebrity AI trend, just to be safe.

Since speaking with nine.com.au, Luke has added a disclaimer to the Nina’s Cucina post.

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.