Mahindra Formula E Team Fires Its Controversial AI Bot After Backlash
This may mark the first time an AI-generated bot was fired.
Mahindra’s Formula E racing team recently decided to launch a female ambassador, which would have been great if it had chosen a flesh-and-blood human. Instead, the India-based company opted to spend its energy developing a fantasy woman named Ava to promote its technology. According to her bio, the 28-year-old London-based bot claimed the title of “sustainable tech queen & racing rebel robot.”
The company went so far as to create a whole Instagram channel called “avabeyondreality” complete with the fake human in various selfie poses. And the backlash was swift and harsh.
“Without even opening my phone, I can think of 10 women, including myself, who would be excellent ambassadors for Mahindra,” motorsports competitor and automotive journalist Emme Hall told Road & Track. “For the company to conjure up a woman from the ether of the internet is a slap in the face to all of us.”
As the 10th season of Formula E kicks off in Mexico City this weekend, there are no female drivers on the grid. However, the next generation is looking more inclusive for women as the organization builds its Girls on Track program for young drivers. NASCAR and F1 have similar goals to develop girls with aspirations in motorsport. An AI-generated bot as a cheerleader and ambassador appears shallow and extremely short-sighted.
At the time of launch, Mahindra was excited about its new “influencer.” As reported by the India-based Deccan Herald, Mahindra’s head of partnerships Roanne Crouse said the company believes it’s important to find “new and innovative ways of reaching people.”
"Having Ava, an influencer that is strongly associated with us and documents our journey, but with a broader appeal to help promote our core values as an organization, is a project we’re hugely excited about,” Crouse said.
Within minutes, the feedback was clearly very negative, with people around the world weighing in on the ill-advised campaign. As of today, the influencer has been relegated to screenshots and a bad-tasting memory; Ava was wiped from the automaker’s channel and a mea culpa posted.
“Nurturing diversity, inclusion, and innovation is at the heart of Mahindra Racing. Our AI influencer program was designed with this innovation in mind,” said Frederic Bertrand, CEO and team principal. “Your comments hold tremendous value. We have listened, understood, and decided to discontinue the project.”
While a few automakers weren’t willing to be quoted in the same breath as Mahindra for this story, the sentiment is clear. Women in motorsports are on the upswing, and they’re proud to promote real women pursuing their dreams behind the wheel. Honda stepped forward to weigh in.
“For Honda and Acura’s motorsports programs, hiring, training, and retaining diverse talent is key to our on-track success," said Jessica Fini, assistant vice president of Product, Sales, and Dealer Communications for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Women hold critical roles within the HRC-US and American Honda organizations that advance our motorsports efforts including engine production, on-track engineering, marketing, and communications. Their passion and talent have contributed to countless victories and championships. Additionally, we have put great effort into developing and supporting women drivers through the HPD academy and the support of teams like those led by drivers Katherine Legge and Sheena Monk in the IMSA GTD class.”
Mahindra has hopefully learned a valuable lesson here, and will carry on with a better idea of who might represent the team without a fluffy AI bot.
“I’m delighted to hear the company has put Ava back in the web where she belongs, but the fact that folks in the boardroom thought this was a good idea just shows how far women still have to go to be taken seriously in motorsports,” Hall said.
You Might Also Like
