AI creator ‘accused’ of cultural misappropriation

Investigations have revealed that an AI Aboriginal wildlife influencer known as the “Bush Legend,” and exposed by Doctor Tamika Worrell in her opinion piece published in firstnationsnews.com.au last week, was created by Keagan John Mason, a South African content creator based in New Zealand.

The revelation has sparked backlash from Indigenous communities and experts who have described it as a form of “AI Blakface” or digital cultural misappropriation.

Exploits Aboriginal identity

The videos use AI to simulate an Aboriginal man with an “unmistakably Aussie drawl,” often depicted with ochre markings and cultural jewellry, set against digitally-generated outback scenes.

Experts, including Dr. Worrell and lawyer Dr. Terri Janke, have argued the avatar exploits Aboriginal identity for profit without community consent or accountability.

And critics have pointed out that “Jarren” has no biological descent, no kinship, and no connection to any Aboriginal nation, yet he is presented as having cultural authority.

The AI-generated character has amassed nearly 200,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

The videos first appeared last year, with the page quickly growing in popularity.

Blak cladding

But while growing in popularity, criticism has also grown, with some saying that using AI to replicate cultural knowledge is concerning.

“More troubling still is the use of AI-generated images that resemble deceased people, where the technology searches for and recreates a likeness,” Kamilaroi man Corey Tutt told NITV.

“We are also seeing a rise in non-Indigenous organisations, often dressed in black-clad branding, using AI to manufacture cultural legitimacy.”

Creator Keagan Mason has tried to address the criticism, through the AI avatar.

“I’m not here to represent any culture or group and this channel is simply about animal stories,” ‘Jarren’ says in one of the latest videos.