A Chinese online marketplace has apologised after its artificial intelligence (AI) listing feature mistakenly placed a photo of one of China’s most treasured museum artefacts up for sale for only 6,000 yuan (approximately RM3,550).
The bizarre incident involved a user identified as Ms Gu from Jiangsu province, who was shocked to discover that a photograph stored on her mobile phone had somehow been transformed into an active sales listing on second-hand marketplace Xianyu.
The image in question featured the Tang Gilt Silver Ewer With Dancing Horse Design, a priceless cultural relic regarded as one of the crown jewels of the Shaanxi History Museum.
Ms Gu only became aware of the mistake after another user left a humorous comment on her page, saying: “You’re selling a museum treasure for 6,000 yuan? Even 600 million yuan wouldn’t be enough to buy it.”
Curious about the remark, she checked her account and was stunned to find the photograph displayed as a product for sale, complete with an AI-generated description and an asking price of 6,000 yuan (RM3,550).
The listing reportedly described the item as being “suitable for collection or decorative display”, despite the fact that it was merely a photograph of a museum exhibit.
Ms Gu questioned whether the platform had accessed images stored on her phone without permission and accused the AI system of automatically generating a sales listing using her photo.
When she contacted customer service, platform representatives suggested the image may have previously been uploaded to a feature known as “Xianyu Space”, which could have triggered the automated product listing function.
However, Ms Gu denied ever uploading the museum photograph to the platform.
She also criticised the system’s ability to automatically assign a selling price and generate promotional content without additional user verification.
“If someone had actually bought it, was the platform expecting the museum to ship the artefact?” she quipped.
The incident quickly sparked discussion online, with numerous users sharing similar experiences involving the platform’s AI feature.
One user claimed a photo of their pet dog was automatically listed for sale at 750 yuan (approximately RM445), resulting in unexpected enquiries from potential buyers.
In response to the controversy, Xianyu said it strongly opposes illegal trading of cultural relics and works closely with authorities to prevent such activities.
The company acknowledged shortcomings in its user interface and AI interaction design, apologising for the confusion caused by the incident.
It also revealed that stricter controls have already been introduced for 72 high-risk collectible categories, requiring sellers to provide proof of ownership and source documentation before listings can be published.
The platform pledged to improve listing notifications and introduce stronger confirmation procedures to ensure users are fully aware before any item is automatically published for sale.
The unusual episode has reignited debate over the growing role of AI in online marketplaces, with critics warning that automated systems can sometimes create embarrassing and potentially costly mistakes when human oversight is lacking.
