Bodegas, the ubiquitous corner stores in New York City, are adopting AI for their in-store signage.

These stores, which emerged in the 1950s with the arrival of Puerto Rican migrants, are a crucial element of the city, outnumbering convenience stores in other US cities like Chicago.

With approximately 13,000 bodegas across the five boroughs, the transition to AI was foreseeable, but it has generated controversy.

Hand-made signage, which displayed images of tortas, deli meats, and coffee, is being replaced by AI-generated images.

An example is the Blend and Bites store in Brooklyn, whose logo features a strange burger, a watery smoothie, and cartoonish berries, all in a confusing sign.

This trend has generated negative reactions among New Yorkers, who miss the traditional aesthetic and human creativity.

An Imgur post shows a bodega window with AI-generated images, including erroneous text like “RUSTORS” and “POTIORS”.

Hell Gate also found examples like a logo for “Maza Cloud Kitchens” that shows a chicken wing with a belt loop and a sign for bottomless mimosas with Brussels sprouts.

New Yorkers express their dissatisfaction, especially at a time when human artists are facing difficulties.

One social media user commented that “Everything looks like a tacky weed dispensary”.

Another user on the r/BedStuy subreddit wondered why businesses don't hire artists, even offering to work for free.

These reactions reflect a nostalgia for human creativity and a rejection of generic AI-generated images.