Terézváros, Budapest’s District VI, is putting an end to AI-generated images and videos in the official communications of its municipal companies and institutions. Mayor Tamás Soproni says the decision is intended to protect human creativity and the jobs of professionals increasingly being replaced by algorithms.
Budapest’s Terézváros district is banning the use of generative AI-created images and videos in communications by municipal companies and institutions. Mayor Tamás Soproni announced the decision on Sunday, saying that public bodies should not replace the work of qualified professionals with AI-generated materials.
Soproni has already sent the relevant instruction to the heads of the district’s municipal organisations.
According to the mayor, social media and public spaces are increasingly flooded with generic, often tasteless and soulless AI-generated content. He criticised the artificial smiles, identical graphic elements and unnatural-looking food frequently seen in such advertisements.
He also questioned the way artificial intelligence systems are trained, arguing that they rely on images created by real people without their consent.
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Copywriters, translators and designers among those affected
Soproni warned that the growing use of artificial intelligence is putting the livelihoods of numerous professionals at risk. These include copywriters, translators, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers and editors.
He also highlighted the particularly difficult situation facing young people at the beginning of their careers. If companies increasingly assign entry-level tasks to algorithms instead of junior employees, he asked, where will the next generation of professionals gain the experience needed to develop their skills?
The mayor acknowledged that artificial intelligence has its advantages, but stressed that people must remain in control of how the technology is used.
“Terézváros must set an example in this regard, too,” he wrote.
The instruction applies to materials such as invitations, posters, leaflets and promotional content for events and programmes. Municipal organisations have been told to avoid generative artificial intelligence wherever qualified professionals can carry out the work effectively using their own expertise.
Soproni also acknowledged that hiring professionals may sometimes cost more or take longer. However, he argued that local authorities should consider more than just procurement costs when deciding how to spend public money.
What happens to institutions without graphic designers?
The district administration has also anticipated a potential practical problem: not every municipal institution has a qualified employee capable of producing professional graphic materials.
To address this, the mayor’s office has promised to help. It will prepare the necessary creative materials on behalf of kindergartens, nurseries and social service institutions that lack suitably qualified staff.
Soproni’s announcement included an AI-generated image of himself, which he described as a warning and said would be the first and last AI-generated content he shared.
