The collaboration between Uniqlo (Malaysia) and Oriental Kopi raised a truly existential question: were the illustrations AI-generated?

One of Uniqlo’s problematic graphics. Photo: Chin Boh Kay

It is a collaboration that stirred up more than just cravings for kopi. It has turned into a brew of controversy that is gadai (加底), ‘sweeter’. What was initially pride in Malaysia’s food culture has turned into dismay when Netizens and shoppers thought they have uncovered the truth of a very 21st century problem: the possibility that artificial intelligence (AI) was used in delivering the illustration of the collaboration between Uniqlo and Oriental Kopi. When the two brands decided to meet, people, foodies especially, expected fashion with flavor. What was dished up was kaya that looked like turd and egg tarts that had seen better days—digitally, at least.

Uniqlo and Oriental Kopi came together for the former’s T-shirt line, UT. The specific spot where opinions spontaneously combust was when allegation emerged that the designs were possibly generated using AI. This was especially regrettable because the results were not better than illustration done by human hands. Many Malaysian illustrators argued that well-established companies like Uniqlo and Oriental Kopi should have hired local artists for a project celebrating Malaysian food culture, rather than using what they called “AI slop” or cheap labour. This anxiety is real and widespread. For many creatives, AI feels less like a helpful assistant and more like an uninvited guest who’s suddenly commissioned to do the job they trained years for.

Uniqlo X Oriental Kopi publicity materials. Illustrations: Uniqlo. Collage: Just So

Uniqlo has been promoting local food culture through its cheap and cherry line, UT. In Singapore, the sub-brand has co-branded with Old Chang Kee and Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Talking about kaya toast, UT’s own in May this year featured “Kaya Buyer Toast Set” that looked conceptually like those by local brand Musoka Club, bringing down their own avalanche of criticisms when they were accused of “copying” the output of a local collective. While Uniqlo’s intentions and mission were admirable, their execution completely failed to account for local sensitivities and, critically, missed the chance to genuinely recognize the art scene within the communities they claimed to support. They have to do better. After all, the fate of Malaysian culture may very well hang on a medium-sized piece of branded apparel.

It is not clear if Uniqlo is aware that there’s something deeply personal and lived about culture, so much so that people feel AI can’t authentically capture. Culture isn’t just aesthetics or symbols; it’s memory, emotion, nuance, and context passed through generations. When AI steps in, especially without transparency (which feels like a snub to the local design industry) or human oversight, it can feel like a shortcut that strips away that richness. Uniqlo Malaysia acknowledged the fervent feedback, but didn’t confirm whether AI was used. They said they were “aware of the comments” regarding the said designs, which was not quite enough to quell the criticism. When food culture looks like it was deep-fried in a neural net, maybe it’s time to call a real designer.