People in London were left baffled Wednesday by what appeared to be a botched AI-generated Christmas mural showing a Santa-like figure with a half-orange beard and revellers with disfigured faces.

The display in posh Kingston upon Thames in southwest London at first glance seems to depict a jolly crowd enjoying the festive season.

But closer inspection reveals a disturbing array of figures including people with warped faces, a snowman with strange facial features, and dogs with the heads of birds all bizarrely splashing through water.

A Father Christmas figure is pictured looking pained in the water at the foot of a rock. His eyes are shut, and his beard is half orange and half white.

The large-scale mural looms above several popular riverside restaurants in the upmarket town.

People who had seen it -- and others keen to have their say -- took to social media for a lively discussion.

"The entire thing is horrendous," wrote one.

"I'm equal parts delighted and horrified," said another.

RTL

A Father Christmas figure is pictured looking pained in the water at the foot of a rock, his eyes shut and his beard half orange / © AFP

"It beggars belief that if you're going to use AI you wouldn't even take a fraction of the time you've allegedly saved in producing whatever this is to at least check it a bit," added someone else.

"This is magnificent," chimed in another, prompting someone else to respond: "It's worse every time you look."

Kingston Upon Thames Council said in a statement it had had "no involvement in the planning or funding of the display".

"The landowner has now confirmed to us that they will be removing the installation," it added.