Stanford Used AI to Replace 1 Hispanic Student in Banner Photo
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 22
Stanford Used AI to Replace 1 Hispanic Student in Banner Photo
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 22
Summary
Stanford acknowledged Tuesday that it used artificial intelligence to alter a 2024 campus photo, replacing student Billy Ramirez with a Black woman in a banner image.
The edited banner also changed the appearance of the two other students in the shot, making them look thinner than in the original photo taken at a Lunar New Year party.
Ramirez, a senior majoring in human biology, said he learned of the swap from a friend and described being "erased" from the image as upsetting, even if the episode had a "comedic element."
The case puts fresh scrutiny on how universities use AI in promotional materials, especially when edits change both a subject's identity and other students' bodies.