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Hasbro Condemns DHS’s Unauthorized AI Optimus Prime Posts

By Drooid · Sep 11, 2026, 4:16 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Hasbro Condemns DHS

Hasbro condemned the Department of Homeland Security’s AI-generated Optimus Prime posts as unauthorized use of its brand.
DHS posted an AI-generated fake poster titled “Transformers: Age of Deportation” bearing the agency seal.
DHS posted a second AI-generated image showing Optimus Prime confronting a Sikh man with the caption “Self-deport or find out”.
The posts appeared after voice actor Peter Cullen’s death; his final performance is in “Optimus Prime: Awakening”.

Summary

DHS Launches AI

DHS launched an internal AI chatbot in 2024 and allowed staff to use commercial generative AI tools.
A FOIA request seeks the prompt, the AI tool and the approval workflow used for the “Mr. Singh” poster.
The request also asks whether the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reviewed the post.
DHS’s CBP Home program offers eligible undocumented migrants up to $2,600 in travel assistance.

History

Historical Context

In 2018, BuzzFeed released a deep-fake video of President Barack Obama warning about fake news, sparking nationwide debate over AI-generated misinformation. The video, produced using software from OpenAI, garnered 5 million views within three days, prompting the Federal Trade Commission to issue guidance on synthetic media. Today, DHS’s AI-generated “Optimus Prime” posters echo the 2018 controversy, prompting Hasbro, Peter Cullen’s estate, and the Office for Civil Rights to object. The recurrence underscores the need for enforceable AI-branding guidelines and federal oversight, lest synthetic propaganda erode public trust and legal protections.

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Hasbro Condemns DHS

Hasbro condemned the Department of Homeland Security’s AI-generated Optimus Prime posts as unauthorized use of its brand.
DHS posted an AI-generated fake poster titled “Transformers: Age of Deportation” bearing the agency seal.
DHS posted a second AI-generated image showing Optimus Prime confronting a Sikh man with the caption “Self-deport or find out”.
The posts appeared after voice actor Peter Cullen’s death; his final performance is in “Optimus Prime: Awakening”.

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