Stanford University says it used artificial intelligence to alter a promotional brochure photo in a way that changes the race, gender, and appearance of people shown. According to reports, the image originally depicted a Latino/Hispanic student, but the published version replaced him with an AI-generated Black woman, and it also adjusted other students’ features.
The issue draws on a broader history of accusations that universities doctor photos to present diversity in a preferred way. The accounts describe how the affected student viewed the change as upsetting and as a form of erasure. Other outlets focus on public reaction and characterize the edits as sparking outrage, while Stanford’s acknowledgment is presented as the main confirmation of the AI manipulation.
Across the coverage, the central points remain the same: the university used AI to modify the promotional image, the edits included race and gender swapping, and some students react to the outcome as harmful or misleading.
