A dispute over a campus dining advertisement is raising questions about how schools use artificial intelligence in public-facing materials — and whether the people shown in images should have any say in how they are represented, according to Globe (via Yahoo).
Criticism is mounting at Stanford University after a student said an advertisement used AI to change how students looked, including altering his race and gender.
Here's what to know
On Monday, The Stanford Review reported that Stanford's Residential & Dining Enterprises department used AI to modify the image of students in a dining hall.
The student newspaper published a comparison image that showed one subject had been removed from the original photo and replaced in the advertisement.
Eluna.ai (@eluna.ai) shared those photographs on Instagram.
Billy Ramirez told the Review that the original image was shot by a Stanford photographer.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
He said he was the person on the far right of the 2024 photo and that the ad swapped him out for a young Black woman.
"I was driving to school from my hometown when my friend sent me the images comparing the banner to the original photos, and I was immediately baffled," Ramirez told the Review.
More background
The outlet noted that the other students' faces were thinner and their appearances were otherwise altered.
The controversy touches on one of the most sensitive uses of generative AI: changing people's likenesses in institutional messaging.
When AI is used to adjust or fabricate identity traits such as race, gender, or body features, concerns about consent, authenticity, and bias are difficult to dismiss.
That can be especially consequential in university settings, where promotional materials often signal who belongs on campus.
What can be done?
At Stanford, questions linger about how the ad was produced.
"Stanford has since confirmed that AI was used and said both the image alteration and failure to disclose it violated university policy, which prohibits AI-generated alterations of Stanford people, events, facilities, and achievements," eluna.ai stated.
The banners were being removed, and the school said it would implement additional staff training and stronger review of future materials.
"Seeing my identity changed and being left out of the picture made me feel, in a way, silenced and erased from a representation that was supposed to include me," Ramirez told the Review.
Where can I learn more?
For more on how AI is affecting institutions and public trust, you can explore these articles.
• At McDonald's, an AI hiring platform exposed applicant data and fueled backlash.
• At an international summit, leaders warned AI could become an engine of inequality.
• Across industries, the backlash may get brutal as AI strains jobs and resources.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
