ASA upholds EverAI Candy AI ‘girlfriend’ Facebook ad for harmful gender stereotype

On 12 August 2026 the UK Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint against EverAI Ltd trading as AI Realities, a Malta-registered company at an address in Santa Venera, over a paid Facebook advertisement for the Candy AI app seen on 13 May 2026. The ASA found the ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 (social responsibility), 4.1 and 4.9 (harm and offence). It concluded the ad was harmful, irresponsible and likely to cause serious and widespread offence, objectified women, and included a gender stereotype likely to cause harm. The ad must not appear again in the form complained of. The ASA told EverAI to ensure future ads were socially responsible and did not cause serious or widespread offence, including by featuring a harmful gender stereotype by objectifying women. One complaint was recorded; no agency was confirmed. EverAI said it had removed the ad and would amend the claim "control her" to wording such as "control your experiences".

The detail most write-ups skip is how the ASA read the ad's own copy against EverAI's defence. Per the ASA Ad description, the caption stated: "Create, customize [sic], and enjoy limitless fun with AI girls". On-screen and spoken lines included: "That's it AI has officially gone too far I genuinely don't think anyone can even tell that I'm not real"; and "Create your perfect AI girlfriend for free. You choose how she will look. No limits, text her, call her, control her. She will do anything for you. She never ignores and always wants your attention. Create her for free on Candy AI". The video demonstrated "Create my AI Girl" with options for Realistic or Anime, Ethnicity, Age, Eye Colour, Hair Style, Personality and Relationship. EverAI argued the ad focused on technical capabilities; that "control her" meant customise or individualise attributes via on-screen menus; that there was no sexualised imagery; that other personality options were shown; and that the same customisable product was advertised across orientations and gender expressions. The ASA accepted the ad promoted an AI-generated character rather than a real woman, but held consumers would understand the "AI girlfriend" as an idealised romantic partner in appearance and behaviour. Because "control her" was immediately followed by "She will do anything for you. She never ignores and always wants your attention", consumers would read control as over behaviour, not only menus. Presenting selectability, controllability, permanent availability and compliance as positive attributes in a female romantic partner reinforced the harmful stereotype that women should be submissive and compliant to men's needs, and reduced women to objects valued for appearance, availability, controllability and willingness to satisfy the user.

The pattern is overreach. The marketing system sold customisation of a gendered companion as the product benefit, and the ASA treated the controllability pitch — not merely the existence of an AI girlfriend app — as the breach.