Jake Wood has been hit by online accusations that he used artificial intelligence to create a birthday portrait of Sir David Attenborough, after selling the piece for £2,000. The EastEnders star, 53, has been delving into the art world, and on Sunday, he took to Instagram to share a piece he had done of the iconic wildlife presenter.
But the actor has now been forced to deny he relied on AI to complete the artwork, which had prints sold for £450 to raise money for Dementia UK. A user shared a photo of the image on Reddit, before claiming details in the artwork implied it had been AI-generated.
In the comments, one noted the 'garbled' text on David's medallion, saying: 'Look how he's 'covered up' the garbled AI text.' Other comments pointed out David's unusually-shaped fingers, and included: 'He advertises it as ''hand finished'' so he's probably printed out the AI slop and finished it off with the spray paint.'
Further criticisms included: 'Look at the attempt at a horse (at least I think it's a horse); skills don't match up. 100% AI;' 'The union Jack is all totally wrong as well in colours/arrangement. The chair arm on the left is a total misplacement. It's 100% AI;' 'The whole chair is uneven and wonky; Can't tell me someone who can render Sir David and a monkey that well can't do basic symmetry.'
Another user commented: 'AI hacks using Attenborough to make a profit is the most annoyed I've felt at them lol.' One more said: 'i'm surprised no-one's pointed this out yet, but the biggest tell for me was the fact that the back of the chair is wider than the chair itself. You can see that, on the left, the back of the chair is left of the ape baby, but the left armrest is to the right of the ape baby. Don't know if that makes sense but definitely look ai to me.' They added: 'EDIT: now that i inspect the ape even more, what the f**k is it sitting on? It looks like Attenborough's leg, but that would be impossible, since we already see both of his legs, and this third leg would be too far left from where he's sitting (and the mysterious armrest would be in the way). just pure slop.'
Another critic wrote: 'I was 50/50 just it being a bad artist, but this absolutely seals the deal. I can understand bad butterfly wings, I could understand a blob here or there, I could understand non-exact sides of the chair, but no artist would do this on purpose;' 'Also, the chimp's eyes are wonky. Added to what others have pointed out, total AI slop.'
Jake has since furiously hit back at claims of AI use, while sharing a snap of his latest work on social media. Posting a snap of the portrait in an art gallery, he captioned the post: 'Here's a picture I did of David Attenborough for his 100th birthday!!! Just to clarify I do not use AI to generate any of my artworks. I do not use AI personally. The images and photos I've used were already in existence and I have then collaged them (digitally or manually) and then painted over them digitally myself before printing and sticking them over a mixture of collage, spray paint and acrylic. (Hand finished signed prints available from @indeliblefineart all in aid of @dementia_uk). Get on it, print run of only 23!!!'
Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Jake Wood for comment. Jake had previously used his art skills to honour his late friend Barbara Windsor, after hosting his first exhibition to raise money for Dementia UK in April. The soap star's long-time friend and mentor Dame Barbara passed away in 2020, aged 83, after a battle with dementia.
The soap star announced the exhibition on social media while giving his followers an insight into his latest artworks. On proud display was a print of Dame Barbara, laughing away, with the image laid over the top of street art and graffiti. The announcement read: 'Exhibition Announcement — Jake Wood: ICONS Indelible Fine Art presents an invite-only exhibition from actor and artist Jake Wood. ICONS introduces a new body of work celebrating defining figures in British culture - people who have shaped identity, history, and public memory.'
Speaking about his portrait of Barbara, Jake told the Daily Mirror: 'My portrait of Barbara was really about capturing her absolute joy and her light. She had this incredible energy; I just wanted the painting to feel like her, that effect she had on everyone when she walked into a room.'
'At the centre of the exhibition, timed alongside VE Day, is Winston Churchill - a figure deeply tied to both national history and Brighton itself. The exhibition also supports Dementia UK, a cause close to Jake's heart following the experience of his close friend and co-star Barbara Windsor. It's a reminder of the very real human stories behind public figures - and the importance of continued support and research. 10 percent of the sales will be donated to Dementia UK, which offers vital support for families affected by the disease.'
