The Miss Universe Philippines pageant is facing online controversy after fans noticed unusual distortions in newly released swimsuit showcase videos of the candidates, sparking debate over the possible use of artificial intelligence (AI) to animate the images.

Excitement among pageant fans for the upcoming Miss Universe Philippines 2026 competition grew after the organization released the delegates’ swimsuit showcase across its official social media platforms on Sunday, March 8.

The organization posted short moving visuals of all 51 candidates, showing them wearing swimwear of their choice.

However, shortly after the clips were posted, viewers began pointing out odd movements and inconsistencies in some of the videos. Several fans said they noticed unusual facial distortions and unnatural motion, leading to speculation that AI tools may have been used to animate still photographs.

Concerns quickly appeared in the comment sections of the pageant’s social media pages. Several social media users also questioned whether the candidates had given consent for their images to be processed using AI platforms, while others asked why the technology was necessary for short promotional videos.

One social media user wrote, “To Miss Universe Philippines, genuine question, did the candidates give consent for their photos to be fed into AI?”

A social media user questioned the credibility of environmental advocacy linked to the Miss Universe Philippines pageant following criticism over the alleged use of AI.

“Miss Universe PH using AI? wtf we are so doomed!!!“ an X user tweet. “Pano pa kaya magiging kapani-paniwala advocay ng Miss Universe PH eh sirang-sira na kalikasan kakagamit nila ng AI,“ the user expressed concern about the environmental impact of AI technology.

“Is it necessary to use ai??? Or para may views kayong makuha para kumita???” another commenter wrote.

The viewers noticed unusual movements and facial distortions in the newly released swimsuit showcase clips of the candidates. The observations led some fans to speculate that AI tools might have been used to animate still photographs.

“Bakit nag-iba ang face? AI” one commenter asked.

As of Tuesday, the Miss Universe Philippines organization has not issued a public statement addressing the speculation about the technology used in the videos.

Earlier, the organization also announced a new fan voting system for the 2026 competition, allowing the public to cast daily votes for their favorite candidates.