Walmart bans AI slop signs in stores

Walmart bans AI slop signs in stores Walmart joins a growing list of companies pushing back on AI-generated content. Charles-McClintock Wilson/NurPhoto via Getty Images Walmart is saying "No" to AI slop in its stores.Custom print jobs have long been prohibited for Walmart store signage, but a recent update to that policy says AI-generated posters are especially forbidden."Stores should not display signing created by AI tools," the guidance says.The announcement appears to address the trend of retail and restaurant managers using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to spruce up their announcements and promotions without the expense (or good judgment) of a professional graphic designer.Delis and bodegas in particular have embraced the slop for menus and signs, as highlighted on social media, and customers hate it.But these ad hoc print jobs can undercut the branding and standards that corporate parent companies work to maintain.Walmart's move follows similar bans by tech companies, including YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Meta that have updated their guidelines on AI-generated content.In its photo department guidance, Walmart says all store signage should be ordered through the official corporate catalog. Stores may ask the photo lab for help when there is a "critical business need" and there is no approved alternative.Walmart also recently added a photo-related perk for its Walmart Plus members: As of August 14, members can get 25 free 4x6 prints made each month by uploading from their camera roll to the Walmart app. Customers are presumably free to use that perk to print all the cringeworthy generative AI images they like for their personal use.Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at dreuter@businessinsider.com or text/call/Signal at 646-768-4750. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely. Read next Dominick Reuter is a senior retail reporter for Business Insider, primarily covering Walmart, Target, and Costco. His stories tend to focus on issues and trends that affect employees and customers.Prior to joining BI in 2019, Dominick worked for more than a decade as an independent photojournalist covering a wide range of stories for global wire services and newspapers, including Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and Agence France-Presse.Dominick studied photojournalism at Boston University and later earned a Masters in business and economics journalism from Columbia University.If you're an employee or customer with a story to share, please contact me via email or text/call/Signal at 646-768-4750. Walmart AI Exclusive More