Stray Kids' New Album "GIANT" Hit With Backlash

Stray Kids recently announced their second Japanese album GIANT. The group’s official Japanese social media account shared a promotional image, presumed to be the album cover. The album will be released on November 13.

2024年11月13日(水)、Stray Kids JAPAN 2nd Album『GIANT』のリリースが決定！
通常盤ジャケット写真も解禁！

詳細はこちらhttps://t.co/rQMMTpPEEg #StrayKids #スキズ #スキズ_2nd_Album #JAPAN_2nd_Album #SKZ_GIANT #KING_GIANT pic.twitter.com/bnH7eeEVZ6

— Stray Kids Japan Official (@Stray_Kids_JP) September 30, 2024

While STAYs are excited for new music, they are disappointed by the image.

THEIR JAPANESE ALBUMS ALWAYS HIT SO HARD WE’RE ABOUT TO GET THE BANGERS OF THE CENTURY https://t.co/tVfDeLKKGm

— maddy 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ (@skzlmhs) September 30, 2024

Many STAYs believe the image was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI-generated art (which many argue cannot be considered “art” since it’s technically not designed by artists/persons) is becoming increasingly common, much to people’s dismay. AI art has come under fire for using human artists’ pictures as training material without permission, as well as for its ability to take away jobs from real artists. Many boycott businesses that use AI in their creative process.

As a result, Stray Kids’ post’s quote-tweets are filled with unhappy fans expressing outrage over JYP Entertainment‘s alleged AI usage. Many felt the image not only looked fake but bad.

just saw the posts on instagram and oh. free skz from ai i beg https://t.co/1XDlBWGdmv pic.twitter.com/4tmcX7yTwd

— vyra — ATE🥠 (@haengppanghi) September 30, 2024

Me @ every kpop groups design creative team this year: https://t.co/QSYLSB7kVb pic.twitter.com/l84WLG8pcu

— sad girl anna 樂✰ ∞⁸ (@sadannasthetic) September 30, 2024

why is it giving big foot 😭 come on jyp you can do better than ai trash.. https://t.co/JC8d5mSqlY pic.twitter.com/LsvreYUgrg

— zac 🍉👹 #TeamShani #TeamTessa (@SeungminTampon) September 30, 2024

Some STAYs said they would have rather an artist use an application like Picsart than just generate art via AI.

id rather have album covers that look like they were edited on picsart a day before the deadline than an ai-generated album cover… https://t.co/zF4CNXh9cQ

— rin :D (@sungiewap) September 30, 2024

ugly AND ai created? bro pick a struggle
(don’t, please just pay actual artists and you won’t have any of the issues i promise) https://t.co/GWLgdlVNV7

— may 💫 ran into kiof💗 (@angelyongsoo) October 1, 2024

we should all be mad as hell about generative ai sneaking into creative spaces. we cannot let skz's team keep getting away with using ai to make their ALBUM COVERS of all things. i'll take a hundred "picsart edit" album covers before celebrating ai generated garbage!!! FUCK DIV 1 https://t.co/MDKaH3URh7

— massive sev ☻♥ (@siinamin) September 30, 2024

STAYs also feel that it’s offensive to Stray Kids as music artists to use AI for their album covers. If JYP Entertainment is okay with using AI instead of an artist to create the imagery, what’s stopping them from replacing musicians with AI?

Girl what are these textures
stop using ai for the love of god https://t.co/DJAbRWUsv8 pic.twitter.com/ZP2pyQGY8b

— Yenu &🪽| One Pact is Five (Rest) (@yinu_nheartie) September 30, 2024

whoever in skz div decided they were gonna use ai for stray kids out of all groups oh you WILL pay https://t.co/sL1zGS0TxM

— lynne ★ is speedrunning (@lynnerexic) September 30, 2024

i’m excited for new music but it’s so disappointing seeing this ai slop it looks like shit https://t.co/tEyCBCgW66

— 🍎 (@sunIixed) September 30, 2024

Some STAYs also pointed out details (or lack thereof) in the image to show the signs of AI.

if u really zoom in on some of the details of the rocks, there is a high chance that its ai since they dont really make sense and/or they only manually do it for the 'stray kids' & 'giant' pic.twitter.com/N6Qy9JEkUd

— Lê Văn Tơ 🐢🥠 (@esthetichan) October 1, 2024

KISS OF LIFE‘s new concept photos have also received backlash due to alleged AI usage. Read more below.