Make your prompts powerful with this guide to AI image fails and how to avoid them.
AI is great, right? Fun, creative images in just a few words. But, wait, what’s that? It’s a seven-fingered nightmare you’ve just slapped onto the landing page of your client’s new website. Yup, AI fails do happen, but the good news is they are easily rectified with these handy tips and tricks.
Be reassured, you’re about to become a prompt whisperer. Read on for 10 common AI image generation fails (dead eyes, mushy text, random attractive people floating in space), and how to fix them using smarter and more specific prompting. As much as funny AI fails make for great workplace banter, we’re wanting AI images that look good. Let’s clean up those digital disasters, shall we?
What are the most common AI image fails?
OK, so we have to give AI a bit of credit before we unpick its rough patches.
First of all, generative AI has come on leaps and bounds in an incredibly short time. With sophisticated AI image generators it’s now possible to create images that really do look like the real deal, whether it’s a photograph, illustration, or artwork. Perhaps we’re already becoming complacent with the incredible versatility of this still relatively new technology.
Secondly, it’s helpful, like genuinely helpful. Whether it’s for quick content creation or when designers need an image at the drop of a hat, the automated power of AI really has transformed the way creatives work.
But (and it’s a big but) it definitely isn’t flawless, and it’s easy to forget that AI really does require a lot of input and direction from you, the human being typing in that AI art prompt.
The most common AI fails in images include things like wibbly text (AI struggles to render text and typography accurately in generated images), and characteristics in images of people or animals that just appear a bit ‘off’, breaking the illusion that the subject is real. We’re talking dead-fish eyes, extra fingers or limbs, and teeth or skin that look too white, glossy or artificial. The other AI fail commonly reported is sheer randomness — elements not specified in your prompt that haunt your AI images like a bad smell. Floating heads, fire-breathing cats…we’ve seen them all.
10 AI fails…and how to fix them
Mistakes happen, we’re only robot human, after all. The great thing about AI image generators like ImageGen is there’s always scope for giving it another go. Refine your initial prompt with these top tips and see the flaws melt away.
1. The mystery of the extra digits
“Why does this man have twelve fingers…and five extra thumbs?!”
The AI image fail
The AI hands fail. That old chestnut. Artificial intelligence can do amazing things, but it’s not always great at counting fingers. In some images of people, expect extra fingers, warped palms or hands randomly growing out of foreheads. Sigh.
How to fix the fail
Use these prompt tips to refine your image and eliminate those pesky digits from the AI hands fail.
- Try incorporating specific phrases relating to hands and fingers into your prompt, like “A person with two realistic human hands, five fingers on each hand, natural pose, photorealistic, ultra-detailed anatomy”.
- If in doubt, conceal unwanted extras with prompts like: “Hands partially in pockets” or “hands resting naturally by the side”.
- Be specific and avoid vague phrases like “man with hands.” AI will simply fill in the blanks, and that’s how finger spaghetti is born.
Pro tip: If you’re done fighting the fingers, just go for “close-up portrait, hands not visible. ” A beautiful headshot, no thumbs in sight. Boom. Problem buried.
To remove unwanted extra digits, the image above was created using this prompt:
A detailed cinematic aerial photo of a large neoclassical statue on an island, holding a banana, photo real, 8k highly detailed, epic cinematography photo, cinematic shot. The hands have five fingers each.
2. Ross from ‘Friends’ teeth
“If a smile glows in the dark, it’s maybe too white.”
The AI image fail
Taking pearly whites into another dimension, AI-generated smiles can be, well, creepy to be completely honest. Super wide (literally ear-to-ear), full of tiny teeth (argh) and with a white gloss that could strip paint.
How to fix the fail
Your own smile might be wiped from your face right now, but don’t worry. These prompt refinements are guaranteed to spark joy.
- Aim for realism by telling AI to dial down the mania: “Portrait of a woman with a subtle closed-mouth smile, natural expression, photorealistic face.”
- And relaaaax. People don’t smile like they’ve won the lottery every day, so aim for softness in your prompt: “Soft facial expression, gentle smile, relaxed mood.”
- AI is prone to exaggeration, so don’t include “smiling happily” unless you want The Joker energy.
This image depicts a more subtle kind of smile, by using this prompt:
Photo of a man with a subtle smile, close-up, fish-eye camera style, raw, authentic, black and white photograph style.
3. Text that melts
“Welcome to Løræm ßlurgh Café!”
The AI image fail
Ask AI for an image that includes signage or a book, and you’ll probably get a jumbled soup of nonsense characters. AI can do ‘words’…just not real ones.
How to fix the fail
Words are overrated right? No, I’m kidding. Wingdings text is never a great look on website mockups or flyer designs, and a dead giveaway of AI use. Use these tips to make AI text more legible:
- One option is to remove traces of text completely, with prompts like: “Blank sign,” “no visible text” or “signboard with abstract markings.”
- Fix the issue in post-editing by overlaying real text later in software like Photoshop. That way, you have more control over font style, too.
This image reads clearly and legibly by using specific words directed in this prompt:
Colorful desert retro signage reading clearly ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada’, soft vintage light and palm trees in the background.
4. So many limbs, so little time
“She’s got legs. And more legs. And still more legs.”
The AI image fail
Top of funny AI fails perhaps. Results are always…astonishing. But come on, give it a break — AI isn’t human, so why would you expect it to restrict itself to just two human legs? Get with it people. Two legs are so last year.
How to fix the fail
OK, so there are situations (numerous) when you don’t want a picture of a chap with three legs. Lessen the limbs with these tips.
- Be specific, and just say it: “Full-body portrait of a woman with natural human anatomy, two arms, two legs, photorealistic.”
- AI likes to float off into its imagination once in a while, so bring it back down to earth: “No extra limbs, no surrealism, accurate proportions.”
- Keep it realistic. Avoid abstract phrasing or fantasy contexts unless you want a centaur surprise (which in some contexts, can be real fun).
Bring the leg count down by being specific about anatomy basics, like in the prompt for this image:
Woman with two legs standing on a scenic mountainside, looking straight to camera, with beautiful green valley in the background.
5. Dead behind the eyes
“Stop looking at me that way, dude.”
The AI image fail
Misaligned eyes, dead-eyed stares, or one misty pupil looking at you while the other searches for meaning.
How to fix the fail
The eyes are the window to the soul, but we’ve got news for you — AI ain’t got no soul. It’s your job as a decent human to bring some life back into the situation.
- Try to direct the subject’s gaze with your prompt, such as: “Looking directly at the camera, sharp eyes, catchlights, symmetrical face.”
- Specify a requirement for naturalism: “Lifelike eyes with natural gaze, facing forward.”
- Don’t just type “person looking”, that’s too vague. Tell AI where the subject should be looking. Be bossy. It can take it.
Bring the light back to eyes in your AI images, like in this prompt:
Portrait of a man in oil painting style, with intense soulful eyes staring out from the canvas. Neutral, calming colors and a plain painterly background.
6. I have nothing to wear
“How does this sweater have a zipper that becomes a pocket that becomes a sleeve that becomes a…centaur?”
The AI image fail
Outfits that look like they’ve been assembled by a mad bag of cats, asymmetrical or missing clothing, and don’t even expect your AI person to be fashionable. Robots don’t have innate style, daaahling.
How to fix the fail
You’ll need to style your AI imagery to achieve an outfit that looks put together. Here are some pointers:
- Specify the garment and, more importantly, the details, like in this example: “Wearing a tailored denim jacket with silver zippers, clean seam lines, natural folds.”
- AI might have less fashion sense than your dad, but that doesn’t mean it can’t use a glow-up. Use fashion terms like: “high-waisted”, “pleated skirt” or “button-down shirt” to give it a style education.
- Avoid typing “cool clothes” or “futuristic outfit” unless you want to see what AI thinks a blend of tech bro chic and 2099 looks like.
A classic suit never goes out of fashion, even for monkeys. The image above uses this prompt:
Monkey wearing a smart tailored suit, crisp shirt and tie, and a smart bowler hat, carrying a walking stick.
7. Dalí goes supersonic
“That’s not a violin. That’s a plank of wood with spaghetti. Oh, and there goes the floating cat again.”
The AI image fail
As with limbs, AI also stumbles on that painfully common item — the everyday object. Instruments, work tools or seemingly simple food items become disfigured, dismembered and no longer subject to the rules of gravity.
How to fix the fail
Luckily this AI fail is easily fixed with a good dose of detail. Here’s how:
- For any object, describe its appearance, however basic this might seem, like in this example: “A detailed violin with four strings, wooden body, resting on a table.”
- For food, be specific about how it should be presented to avoid majestic salmon fillets floating downriver: “Photorealistic plate of spaghetti with meatballs, fork on the side, white ceramic plate.”
- When it comes to objects, it’s no time to be lazy. Don’t simply include “a meal” and “an instrument” in the same prompt and expect this to come out OK. AI will probably create an edible saxophone, and think it’s done a great job, too.
Keep your objects grounded and the material you want them in, like in this example prompt:
A surreal desert landscape inspired by Salvador Dali, showcasing a beautiful wooden classical violin, bathed in warm, dreamlike lighting, with melting clocks and elongated shadows enhancing the bizarre atmosphere.
8. The subject’s perfect, but the background…not so much
“Why is there a floating castle hovering behind this bored office worker?”
The AI image fail
Inconsistent or surreal backgrounds that make no sense, and seem at complete odds with the subject of the AI image.
How to fix the fail
Backgrounds can be neglected when you’re focusing on just trying to make your person look like the real deal. Remember to keep the backdrop in mind as part of your prompt.
- Build context like you’re writing a book: “An office setting with modern furniture, computer desk, blurred cityscape outside window.”
- Skip the surrealism: “Realistic background, consistent with the foreground subject, no fantasy elements.”
- And above all, avoid vague “in the background” phrases. Name it, tame it.
Remember to include background detail in your prompt, like in this example for the image above:
Bored office worker seated at a wooden desk in an office setting in a photorealistic style with soft lighting. In the background a cityscape of tall office buildings and clouds set against a blue sky are visible from the window.
9. Mutant Fido
“Stacey, I’m going to make you a super cute puppy. Ah, OK…wow.”
The AI image fail
Robots clearly don’t own pets, because it can’t seem to figure out the basic anatomy of your average domestic dog. And quite often, the haunting white smile that dogs (sorry) your people images comes back to give Fido a real sinister expression.
How to fix the fail
AI needs a little guidance on pet care. After all, we’re not at the stage where robots are allowed to own their own cats (yet).
- Describe the animal in clear detail, such as: “Golden retriever with soft fur, four legs, sitting, realistic eyes and face.”
- Mention breed-specific features, like: “short muzzle,” “long ears” and “curly tail.” It might not get the hint from simply stating “Xoloitzcuintli”.
- Don’t say “cute animal.” Unless you want to discover what AI thinks is cute (eek).
This prompt uses breed-specific words and clarifies that the image should be realistic:
Photorealistic portrait of a cute pet labrador dog with golden fur, with anatomically correct body and posture, seated on a vintage wooden floor, spotlit by a natural light beam from the nearby window.
10. Where’s the exit?
“Is that a door? A window? Or a portal to Narnia?”
The AI image fail
AI often struggles with perspective and proportion, resulting in physics-defying furniture, windows that look like doors, and buildings that loop into themselves. It’s all very Inception.
How to fix the fail
- You need to be specific about the space and how perspective should be rendered (do I have to do everything): “Room with realistic 3D perspective, accurate lighting, modern design, consistent proportions.”
- Name specific architectural styles to build realism and serious style into your AI images: “mid-century modern house in the style of Frank Lloyd-Wright” or “industrial loft with skylights.”
- Avoid “interior scene” without any context. AI goes wild with ambiguity. Yup, there goes the flying cat again.
Clarify perspective in your prompts to help AI focus, like in this prompt example:
Room with a door at the far end and windows either side of the room, with a strong sense of perspective. Purple and red neon colors light the room, which has a dark atmosphere.
Taking your AI images to the next level with ImageEdit
So you’ve mastered the prompts, conquered those pesky extra fingers, and tamed the floating cats. But what if we told you there’s an even easier way to fix those AI fails — without having to regenerate your images over and over?
Enter ImageEdit with Nano Banana. This is where things get seriously next-level.
Your AI image cleanup crew
Remember all those fixes we just walked through? ImageEdit can handle most of them in seconds flat. Got a perfect portrait but the background’s gone rogue with floating castles? Use ImageEdit’s “Replace Background” feature and simply type what you want instead. Those stubborn extra fingers refusing to disappear? The “Erase” tool with Nano Banana’s intelligence understands context — it’ll remove the extras and naturally fill in what should be there.
The beauty is, you don’t need to start from scratch. Take your AI-generated image, upload it to ImageEdit, and polish it to perfection with the help of Nano Banana. It’s like having a professional retoucher on speed dial, except it’s AI that actually gets what you’re trying to do.
AI image fails: FAQs
AI isn’t perfect (who is?), but as long as you understand a little more about how prompting works, you can quickly learn how to get the most out of this fun, creative tool. Here are some common questions about AI fails, and helpful answers too!
1. Why do AI image generators bring in totally random things not specified in my prompt?
A floating animal or disjointed body part has a real habit of spoiling your lovely AI image. The reason? AI image generators sometimes introduce random elements because they’re trained on huge datasets and learn broad associations, rather than strict rules. As a result, an image generator might ‘hallucinate’ details they think fit the context, even if you didn’t request them. In other words, it’s trying to be helpful (bless), but sometimes misses the target. Being specific and using negative instructions (“Don’t include a floating head”) in your prompts can help.
2. Why do AI images look fake?
Some AI images don’t look fake at all and require a really close look to identify their AI origin. But yes, many AI images do look artificial, and this is because the AI model guesses what things should look like based on data patterns, not real-world understanding. AI can struggle with fine details like hands, text, reflections, or symmetry, which betray its artificial nature. While quality is fast-improving, small inconsistencies can break the illusion of realism. Incorporating words like “photorealistic” and “naturalistic” in prompts can dial down fake-looking features.
3. What can I do to improve the realism of my AI images?
If realism is your goal — and it can be desirable for things like human portraits — try using detailed prompts that specify lighting, setting, and camera angles, just as a photographer would try to achieve in real life. You can also adjust settings like resolution if available, and post-editing touches like filters can also work wonders to improve realism in imagery.
4. What can I use AI images for?
AI images can be used for a wide range of creative projects, from concept art to storyboarding, social media content to web banners. If you’re lacking in budget or time, AI imagery is handy for generating unique visuals without the need for a photographer or studio. Designers also use AI images for mood boards and inspiration, or even complete layouts for posters, websites, and social posts.
5. Are AI images ‘art’?
Hmm, good question. The debate still rages on. In one sense, AI images can be considered ‘art’ because they involve creativity, intention, and visual expression, often guided by a human-imagined prompt. Some AI artists see it as a new form of digital art, one which blends human ideas with machine execution.
The other side of the coin? Some creatives argue that AI images lack true originality or emotional depth, because AI doesn’t create images with conscious intent. So, whether AI images are ‘art’ depends on how you personally define art and the role you believe humans play in the creative process.
Go forth and prompt like a pro
With the right AI image generator to hand, the world of creative AI is your oyster. From creating compelling imagery for print to clickable content for social media, AI images are great for building an instant wow factor into your projects. Of course, AI failures do happen, but that’s all part of the fun! The key thing is that they are easily rectified with clear AI art prompts. AI isn’t a mind-reader (though that might not be far off into the future), so you need to act as art director to benefit from the best results.
Go forth and prompt like a pro. You’ve got this.
And for even more AI tips, you won’t want to miss these 5 ways to use Envato’s AI tools in your creative work, from automatic voiceovers to video creation, as well as how AI impacts graphic design trends.
Ready to start using AI-generated assets in your marketing projects? Craft emotive AI videos for YouTube with VideoGen, beautiful soundtracks for creative content with MusicGen, and use creative AI prompts to get the best from your campaign imagery with ImageGen.
