SINGAPORE - Is it ethical to publish artificial intelligence-generated content based on a celebrity’s past interviews?

The public backlash over Esquire Singapore’s AI-generated interview with Netflix live-action series One Piece’s star Mackenyu seems to suggest not.

The lifestyle magazine explained that its decision to use AI to fabricate interview responses came after the actor failed to respond to questions in time for publication.

What other AI application blunders have occurred in recent times that should not be repeated? The Straits Times takes a look at nine high-profile ones.

For Esquire Singapore’s March 2026 issue, Japanese-American actor Mackenyu, who goes by just this name, had taken part in a cover photo shoot but was unable to reply e-mail interview questions. To fill the gap, the editorial team uploaded past interviews done by the celebrity onto AI tools Claude and Copilot, and generated fresh responses to new questions.

The piece drew swift backlash, especially over AI-generated comments about his relationship with his late father, which were later removed.

Critics called it lazy and unethical journalism, while Esquire defended it as a deliberate creative choice tied to the issue’s theme, saying it had noted the feedback for future editorial decisions.

In March 2026, two lawyers were ordered to