Formula E’s Mahindra team recently revealed “Ava Beyond Reality,” an artificially created, female-presenting “AI Ambassador.” However, the initiative faced such backlash from the team’s fanbase that the entire program vanished from the internet within 48 hours.
The controversy surrounding the creation of “Ava Rose,” a synthetic influencer described as a “Sustainable Tech Queen” and “Racing Rebel Robot,” raised questions about the racing industry’s willingness to include women on pit lane. The social media profile of this digital creation, now deleted, showcased lifestyle-oriented, heavily filtered selfies of a conventionally attractive youngish woman. Captions revolved around generic topics like shoes, self-care, and the importance of restful sleep – a stark contrast to Formula E’s sustainability efforts. Absent was any content highlighting Ava Rose’s supposed role in promoting Mahindra’s sustainability endeavours, leaving fans puzzled about its connection to racing.
The questionable use of technology, seemingly amplifying the misogyny often present in motorsports, sparked criticism for reducing women to ornamental roles rather than integrating them into the on-track action.
This bears the question, would “Ava Rose” have been more broadly accepted if she did align with Mahindra’s original plan to promote sustainability within the Formula E industry?
