Now you know how recruiters and employers feel when they get a crap AI-generated resume and cover letter. Don’t do it! This story was written by Jessica Yun and appeared in the SMH on Friday, 16 January 2026.
“Troubled denim retailer Jeanswest has been mocked by social media users for posting content on its website and social media that has been created using generative artificial intelligence.
A still from the video posted by Jeanswest, which has attracted criticism online over its use of artificial intelligence.
“Why on earth are you using AI! This is so disappointing to see,” one user commented. “This is insane!!?? Who approved this!?” said another.
Jeanswest’s website appears plain and poorly maintained, with stock images and generic statements like “Escape the Everyday” and “Jeans time is here!”
Users on a Reddit thread mocked the AI-generated models (“why are they both pointing in the same direction?”) and scrutinised photos on the Jeanswest website (“weird arm, exaggerated drunk lean, it’s a mess”).
When contacted by this masthead, a customer support representative confirmed its content was AI-generated.
“While AI is one of many tools we may use in our creative workflow, we remain dedicated to maintaining the authenticity and relatability that our customers expect from us,” the representative said in an email.
“We want to assure everyone that listening to our community is at the heart of what we do. We take this feedback seriously and are committed to learning from it as we refine our approach.”
Retail consultant and RCA Advisory director Trent Rigby said Jeanswest was a case study for retailers in how not to deploy AI-generated content and described 2026 as the “year of AI slop backlash”.
“When I first saw their current content, I honestly thought it was a satirical campaign or a joke,” Rigby said.
“Some brands are using it to cut corners on the cheap and we’re seeing a total abandonment of quality control. The danger is when brands use AI to replace the creative process entirely rather than using it to support it.”
Customers were becoming much sharper at spotting fake content, and retailers who did so risked eroding trust and loyalty, he added.
“It’s sterile. Inauthentic. It alienates the very people they are trying to sell to. If Jeanswest has this little regard to how they ‘show up’ to a customer, why would a customer trust the quality of the actual clothes they’re selling?”
In another Instagram post from a week ago, a model appears to model khaki capri pants in front of a Jeanswest store. However, the store beside it also appears to bear the name Jeanswest.
All 90 Jeanswest stores were shut down by June 2025 when administrators Pitcher Partners took control of the business.
“It’s misleading, unethical and borderline illegal,” said Rigby. “Using AI to fake a physical retail presence is flat-out lying to the consumer.
“I think we’re going to reach a point very soon where ‘produced by humans’ or ‘not AI generated’ becomes a premium marketing label.”
The first Jeanswest store opened in Perth in 1972 and grew to a network of nearly 150 stores across the country after acquiring the now-defunct Eagle Jeans chain.
When Jeanswest fell into administration again in May 2025, it owed $48 million to creditors. The company returned to its previous owners, Harbour Guide, but axed all stores to operate an online-only model, letting go of 220 full-time, 155 part-time and more than 300 casual employees in the process.
“The brand has been completely hollowed out,” said Rigby. “It’s clear this isn’t just one bad post. The entire Jeanswest business has been built around AI generation.”
“It’s honestly sad to see a 50-plus-year-old Australian legacy brand go this way.”