Following a week of intense backlash, the Downtown Bozeman Association (DBA) has pulled the winning poster for this year’s Christmas Stroll, citing “safety concerns of all parties involved.” The decision comes amid accusations that the artwork was generated using artificial intelligence.
It’s a claim the winning artist, Ghassane Moutaoukil, firmly denies.
The dispute has ignited a broader debate over AI’s role in the arts.
Local creators told The Washington Post the controversy reflects growing anxiety about artistic credibility and livelihoods in an era when AI-generated images can be mistaken for human work. DBA acknowledged that its contest rules did not address AI use, and the organization now plans to add clear standards, including requiring artists to provide working files, according to The Post.
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What changes now
KBZK News reports that the DBA will replace the scrapped poster with a photograph of the town’s “Holiday Spiders” — large decorative displays featured in the annual event. The new promotional image will spotlight the freshly rebuilt fourth spider, which is set to be lit by Santa.
In a since-deleted statement quoted by The Post, the association called the contest winner “an active member of the Bozeman art community.” However, it added that “real-life humans behind this selection process are subject to error.”
What the artist says
Moutaoukil has repeatedly rejected claims that his work was AI-generated. He told The Post, “I fully deny the allegations that my artwork was generated using AI.” He explained that he hand-draws his designs before refining them with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
In a statement to KBZK, he said he would never risk his integrity by using AI tools. He also announced he had donated his $200 prize to a local charity. Although the Bozeman Daily Chronicle noted his Instagram page became unavailable amid the uproar, Moutaoukil said his approach is rooted in traditional relief printmaking, combined with digital photo illustration.
Why the community pushed back
Some local designers argued the poster exhibited “AI-style” artifacts. They claimed they were able to generate highly similar images using prompts, The Post reported.
The Chronicle documented how online criticism escalated after the winner was announced and highlighted examples of the artist’s previous work showing a comparable style.
How difficult is AI detection?
Experts say very. A Montana State University computer science professor told KBZK that AI detection tools lag behind the sophistication of AI image generators. The Chronicle cited research showing people can correctly identify AI-generated images only about 51% of the time — essentially a coin flip.
The DBA says it will now develop a formal policy addressing AI use and verification for future contests and will move forward this year with photo-based promotional materials, according to KBZK and The Post. Whether AI was actually used in the 2025 submission remains contested.
