A Custom AI Model for Generating UGA Mascot Images
Minsung Kang, College of Engineering, Mechanical engineering, 1st year PhD student
Hairy Dawg AI is a specialized text-to-image generative AI model built to create high-quality images of Hairy Dawg, the University of Georgia’s beloved mascot. Unlike general-purpose image generation models, Hairy Dawg AI has been fine-tuned using DreamBooth on Stable Diffusion XL (SDXL) to ensure that the AI accurately captures the mascot’s distinct appearance, expressions, and poses.
Fast and Dynamic Image Generation
One of the standout features of Hairy Dawg AI is its speed and efficiency. The model can generate a brand-new Hairy Dawg image in less than 10 seconds, making it incredibly fast for on-demand image creation. Whether users need an image for social media, presentations, or digital content, the AI provides quick and high-quality results without long wait times. Additionally, the model introduces variation in each generated image, even when using the same prompt. Unlike static stock images, every request produces a unique version of Hairy Dawg in different poses, lighting conditions, and styles, ensuring diversity and creativity in every generation.
A Fun and Accessible AI for the UGA Community
Hairy Dawg AI is designed to be an interactive and accessible tool for students, faculty, alumni, and fans. Instead of relying on stock photos or hand-drawn illustrations, users can generate custom, AI-powered images of Hairy Dawg that perfectly match their needs—all within seconds. By making the model freely available online, this project brings together the power of AI and school spirit, offering an innovative way to engage with the beloved UGA mascot in new and creative ways.
Fine-Tuned for Mascot-Specific Creativity
Using a carefully curated dataset of 60 high-quality Hairy Dawg images, the model has learned the mascot’s signature look and is capable of generating images in a variety of settings, including:
- Hairy Dawg playing football in a packed stadium
- Hairy Dawg lifting weights at the gym
- Hairy Dawg celebrating a championship victory
- Hairy Dawg cheering with fans
By training on this dataset, Hairy Dawg AI goes beyond generic AI models that struggle with specific characters and branding. Instead, it produces mascot-accurate, detailed, and visually appealing images that resonate with UGA fans.