Formula E Team Mahindra Racing Team Pulls Stunt Using AI-Generated Influencer, Infuriates People Because They Didn’t Hire A Real Woman Instead

The new season of Formula E — the world's preeminent all-electric single-seater racing series — gets underway this weekend with the first race of the year in Mexico City.

However, one team has found themselves embroiled in a bizarre off-track "scandal" (make those quotes as big as you possibly can) involving an AI-generated influencer.

This should be an exciting season for Indian team Mahindra Racing. After finishing second to last this season, the team has an all-new driver line-up comprised of Formula E aces Edoardo Mortara and 2020-21 Formula E champ Nyck de Vries, the latter fresh off of a brief stint in Formula 1 that didn't exactly go so well.

However, that excitement may have been slightly tempered by a controversy.

The team decided to unveil a partnership with an influencer. Nothing unusual about that. It's practically the norm these days.

The difference was this influence — named Ava — was AI-generated.

The plan was for Ava to present information about technology and behind-the-scenes content throughout the season.

Ava Irked Fans Who Thought The Team Should've Hired A Human Woman

Now, this wasn't the sort of thing where the team tried to hide that this was a creation of artificial intelligence. They made it clear from the start. Nonetheless, it got some fans fired up that the team didn't hire an actual human woman to do the job.

Of course, this turned into a debacle centering on writing women — specifically human ones — in motorsport. There's certainly a conversation to be had about that, but this doesn't seem like the right place to focus it.

It seems to me that Mahindra was simply trying to use emerging technology — which is kind of what Formula E is all about — in a new way. One that would showcase the series.

They wanted to do something a little more interesting than just have someone in the paddock snapping pictures and taking videos.

Is it that cool? No. But at least they tried something.

Although, as Homer Simpson once said, "The lesson here is 'never try.'"

Mahindra Racing Axes It's AI Influencer

It's hard to imagine they would toss an AI influencer the keys and give them free rein to pilot their social media accounts. There are likely people behind the scenes steering the ship.

Or at least... there were.

Mahindra announced that after the pushback from Formula E fans, Ava has been terminated.

Cue the groveling apology.

"Nurturing diversity, inclusion and innovation is at the heart of Mahindra Racing," the statement from CEO and team principal Frederic Bertrand reads. "Our Al influencer programme was designed with this innovation in mind. Your comments hold tremendous value. decided to discontinue the project."

Sometimes social media comments hold a little too much value.

Mahindra Racing's attempt to embrace the inevitability of AI backfired on them. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

The Team's AI Influencer Was A Goofy Stunt To Showcase Formula E Technology, Not A Social Injustice

Like I said, if you want to talk about women in motorsport, that's a different discussion entirely and a legitimate one. There have certainly been a lot of strides in the right direction in recent years.

No one with a functioning brain would think that the point of this exercise was so that Mahindra could say, "There; that's one less woman we'll need to hire."

It was a goofy stunt intended to showcase new tech. Pure and simple.

I don't love AI either, but not everything needs to become a social injustice. Mahindra didn't do anything wrong. They were dicking around with AI programs. We've all done it.

For better or worse, AI is here to stay, and Mahindra Racing got caught embracing and trying to make the best of the inevitable.

I kind of wish Mahindra Racing would've stuck to their guns. At least just a little bit and not buckled under the pressure.

Of course, Pulling the plug on the project is their prerogative. However, the team should be prepared to hear it anytime they aren't in lock-step with what people with X accounts want.

As we all know, if you give an inch, prepare for them to take a mile

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle