# Group advocating for Australians to list ‘no religion’ on the census is called out over AI ads: ‘Fake humanity’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/group-advocating-for-australians-to-list-no-religion-on-the-census-is-called-out-over-ai-ads-fake-humanity/
- Published: 2026-08-10T15:11:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-10T15:16:48+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16016111/australia-census-religion-question.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: AI, Americas, Technology, World

## Key points

- Group is urging Aussies to tick 'no religion' on the census
- Its adverts used AI-generated people, sparking backlash
- Critics called the AI imagery "fake humanity", undermining its message

## Summary

An Australian advocacy group campaigning for people to select 'no religion' on the census has faced criticism after using AI-generated imagery and voices in its promotional advertisements. Critics argue that using artificial figures to represent everyday Australians undermines the campaign's credibility and comes across as inauthentic, with one detractor branding the approach "fake humanity". The controversy highlights growing unease over the use of AI-generated content in political and public messaging campaigns.

The group is urging Australians to mark 'no religion' when completing the national census, aiming to boost the recorded proportion of non-religious citizens. However, the decision to use AI-generated actors and voiceovers, rather than real people, in its advertising has drawn backlash from commentators who say it contradicts the campaign's message of representing genuine, ordinary Australians. The episode reflects a broader debate about transparency and authenticity as AI tools become more widely used in advocacy and advertising.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.