Glasgow’s Public Art Debate: When AI Concepts Meet Heritage Regulation

A contentious planning decision in Glasgow has ignited a fierce debate within the creative industries, raising fundamental questions about the role of artificial intelligence in public art commissioning. The approval of a mural concept for a B-listed building on Elmbank Street—based entirely on an AI-generated image featuring non-native wildlife and structural anomalies—has drawn sharp criticism from established artists and political leaders alike. The incident serves as a flashpoint for the broader discussion on how generative AI is integrating, or arguably disrupting, traditional artistic processes.

The Controversy at Elmbank Street

In January 2026, Glasgow City Council granted planning permission for a large-scale mural proposed by Balmore Estates Limited. The artwork, intended to adorn the gable end of a sandstone tenement, was pitched as a celebration of Scotland’s heritage and energy future. However, the visual materials submitted to the council were not sketches from a human artist but images generated by AI.

The concept image immediately flagged concerns among the public and the artistic community. While it aimed to depict a Scottish scene, it featured a bald eagle—a bird native to North America, not Scotland—alongside a building that curiously resembled the Wallace Monument but was structurally nonsensical. Further inspection revealed common AI "hallucinations," such as a steam train appearing to float without tracks and wind turbines with physically impossible geometries.

Despite these glaring errors, the proposal was green-lit, prompting a backlash that highlights the tension between cost-efficient visualization and artistic integrity.

The "Indicative" Defense

The core of the dispute lies in the intent behind the submission. Derek Paterson, director of Balmore Estates, defended the use of the AI image, characterizing it as "merely indicative." He argued that the generated image was never intended to be the final piece but rather a mood board to convey a theme to the eventual human artist.

Paterson dismissed the online criticism, telling national press that "keyboard warriors should calm down" and that the final mural would be executed by a reputable local artist who would have "licence to let his creative juices flow." This defense touches on a growing trend in commercial creative work: the use of AI for rapid prototyping. However, critics argue that submitting an AI fabrication for a formal planning application for a listed building undermines the rigor of the approval process. It suggests that the aesthetic and cultural details—usually the subject of intense scrutiny in heritage zones—were treated as an afterthought.

A "Slap in the Face" to Local Talent

Glasgow is world-renowned for its street art, home to the "Mural Trail" and celebrated works by artists such as Smug (Sam Bates) and Rogue One. The reaction from this community was swift and condemning.

Smug, the artist responsible for the iconic St Mungo mural, publicly criticized the decision, labeling the AI concept "insulting to all artists." His critique went beyond the visual errors; he argued that using AI for such a brief is "lazy" and "dangerous to the arts," as it bypasses the deep research and cultural understanding that defines successful public art.

The sentiment was echoed by local political figures. Green Party Councillor Christy Mearns and MSP Patrick Harvie called for a city-wide AI strategy to prevent "AI slop" from eroding opportunities for human creatives. They argued that Glasgow’s reputation as a cultural hub relies on supporting its vast pool of human talent, rather than outsourcing conceptual work to algorithms that lack local context.

The Hallucination Problem: Why Details Matter

The inclusion of a bald eagle in a mural ostensibly about Scottish heritage is a textbook example of AI hallucination—where a model fills in gaps with statistically probable but contextually incorrect data. In the context of a private mood board, this is a minor error. In the context of a public planning document approved by a city council, it becomes a symbol of negligence.

These errors are not merely cosmetic; they signal a lack of "human in the loop" (HITL) oversight. For AI to be a valid tool in professional creative workflows, it requires rigorous curation. The Elmbank Street incident demonstrates that when AI outputs are uncritically accepted as finished concepts, the result is often a "generic and uninspiring" pastiche that fails to resonate with the community it is meant to serve.

Comparing Approaches to Public Art Commissioning

The following table outlines the structural differences between the traditional commissioning process and the AI-assisted workflow seen in this case.

Comparison of Commissioning Models

Regulatory and Industry Implications

This controversy is likely to set a precedent for how councils handling planning permissions view AI-generated content. Currently, most planning systems are designed to evaluate architectural dimensions and material impact, not the provenance of the artistic imagery.

The call from Scottish Greens for "rail-guards" suggests a future where public funding or permission for art could carry stipulations regarding human authorship or AI transparency. For the creative industry, this is a wake-up call. Agencies and developers using AI for pitches must be transparent about the nature of the visuals and ensure that "indicative" concepts do not promise what cannot—or should not—be delivered.

Conclusion

The Elmbank Street mural project has inadvertently become a case study for the limits of Generative AI in the physical world. While the technology offers undeniable speed in visualization, it cannot replicate the cultural nuance and intentionality of a human artist. As Glasgow moves forward, the city—and the wider creative industry—must decide whether AI will be used to enhance human creativity or to bypass the very artists who built the city's cultural reputation. For now, the message from the streets of Glasgow is clear: authenticity cannot be prompted.