Automakers using AI-generated images in marketing has quickly become one of the internet’s favorite ways to spot corporate laziness. Unfortunately for Ram, the brand has now managed to turn what should have been a simple piece of patriotic merchandise into another example of AI slop gone wrong.
The problem is not subtle, either. Ram’s now-deleted “2026 Ram Patriotic Unisex T-Shirt” appeared to feature a truck that was very obviously not a Ram at all, along with an American flag that somehow ended up with the wrong number of stars.
The shirt appeared on Ram’s official online merchandise store for $29.95 before screenshots started circulating online. Shortly after people began pointing out the issues, the product listing disappeared entirely and now leads to a dead page.
That removal may have stopped additional sales, but it did not stop the internet from saving receipts. Screenshots of the shirt have continued spreading online, with many people questioning how a major automaker allowed something this sloppy to make it through approval and onto an official storefront.
That “Ram” Is Clearly A Toyota Tacoma
The centerpiece of the shirt is supposed to be a Ram pickup sitting in front of a waving American flag. The issue is that the truck illustration looks unmistakably like a Toyota Tacoma with “RAM” awkwardly slapped across the grille.
The body proportions, headlight shape, front bumper, and overall silhouette do not resemble any current Ram truck. Instead, the design closely matches Toyota’s midsize pickup, making the branding mistake impossible to ignore once spotted.
Whether the image was fully AI-generated or simply created using generic stock artwork remains unclear. Either way, it gives the impression that almost no effort went into making the truck actually resemble something Ram sells.
That is what makes the entire situation feel especially strange. This is not a random social media meme or a quickly assembled placeholder graphic. It was official merchandise that customers could purchase directly from Ram’s own online store.
The American Flag Was Wrong Too
As if the Tacoma issue was not enough, the background flag created another layer of embarrassment. The shirt attempted to feature a stylized American flag but ended up displaying proportions and details that do not match the real thing.
Most notably, observers pointed out that the flag appeared to contain only 38 stars instead of 50. That mistake instantly fueled more accusations that the artwork had been generated using AI rather than designed by an actual artist familiar with basic American iconography.
AI-generated imagery has become notorious for producing distorted hands, strange text, incorrect logos, and inaccurate details like this. The technology often creates images that look convincing at first glance before completely falling apart under closer inspection.
For a “patriotic” shirt specifically themed around American branding, the irony was difficult to miss. Ram somehow ended up selling merchandise featuring both the wrong truck and a broken version of the American flag at the same time.
Ram Has Already Been Criticized For AI Content
This is not the first time Stellantis brands have been criticized for using questionable AI-generated imagery. Less than two months ago, Dodge and Ram were mocked online after posting bizarre promotional graphics on social media that featured distorted vehicles and strange design inconsistencies.
At the time, many enthusiasts brushed it off as low-effort social media content. Merchandise, however, feels different because it involves a product customers are expected to spend real money on.
That distinction is part of why the backlash escalated so quickly. People expect mistakes on random AI-generated posts floating around Facebook, but official branded apparel typically goes through multiple rounds of review before reaching production.
The bigger concern for many enthusiasts is what this says about brand identity and quality control. Truck buyers tend to be deeply loyal to specific brands, and accidentally selling a Tacoma disguised as a Ram is exactly the kind of mistake that guarantees ridicule online.
AI Keeps Creating Problems For Automakers
Automakers have increasingly experimented with AI-generated marketing material in an effort to speed up content creation and lower costs. The problem is that audiences are becoming very good at spotting when something looks fake, rushed, or poorly reviewed.
In many cases, the backlash ends up outweighing whatever time or money was saved. Instead of promoting the product, companies often find themselves apologizing for obvious mistakes that could have been caught immediately by a designer or enthusiast paying attention.
Ram removing the shirt suggests the company realized the problem fairly quickly once screenshots began circulating. Still, it was too late, as the damage was already done by then.
At this point, the only real mystery left is whether anyone actually managed to buy one before the listing disappeared. If they did, that accidental Tacoma-themed Ram shirt may end up becoming one of the strangest pieces of modern automotive merchandise.