Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly popular tool, however, it still has its (rather amusing) quirks. I decided to have the AI generators, Mogo AI and Imagine AI, take me through a virtual tour of Gonzales, Texas, and the results were comically inaccurate. Ready for a laughter-filled tour? Let’s begin.
Starting with a straightforward search using the description “the historical town of Gonzales, Texas,” the generated image attempted to capture the essence of our downtown area.
This one wasn’t too bad. The generator got the general layout of our downtown area but it’s not accurate. The abundance of vintage car models parked downtown is a rarity, unless, of course, the Classic Cruisers Car Show is in town as part of our Come and Take It Celebration.
Moving on to the portrayal of tourists in Gonzales, Texas, be prepared for a good laugh. AI’s rendering of tourists viewing the Come and Take It Cannon took creative liberties, to say the least. The following two images are what the generator produced when given the description, “tourists viewing the Come and Take It Cannon in Gonzales, Texas.”
Are you laughing yet? I am not sure riding on the “Come and Take It” Cannon contributes to preserving its historical significance. Also, the Cannon that was given to the Texans by the Mexican government was much smaller than this. Here’s the next:
As you can see, there’s a tourist having a “blast” hanging from the wheel of the Cannon. Also, everyone is wearing cowboy hats which does not accurately reflect the diverse styles of our tourists. Cowboy hats are welcome but definitely not a requirement of our tourists!
The Pioneer Village Living History Center, a staple on any Gonzales tour, also underwent an AI makeover. Check this out:
The generated image falls short in capturing the diversity of our visitors in terms of gender and style, and it omits the rich array of attractions the Pioneer Village has to offer.
Curious about the culinary scene AI envisions for Gonzales? A search for tourists enjoying lunch yielded a somewhat disappointing result.
According to AI, we have a restaurant named “Goniles Maio” serving orange tea and a questionable salad. However, locals know that Gonzales boasts a much more diverse and delectable array of food options.
No Gonzales tour is complete without a visit to the Gonzales Jail Museum. Let’s take a look at what AI produced.
The AI-generated image depicts a group of five seemingly delighted individuals exploring the museum. However, the omnipresent cowboy hats and the mysteriously worded entry sign raises eyebrows.
And now, behold the AI rendition of the iconic Come and Take It flag.
“Come An It” may not be the legendary defiant phrase Texans know and love. Luckily, the corrected version, “Come and Take It,” is much more fitting.
