Stanford Removes AI-Altered Photo After Student Says He Was 'Erased'

Stanford University has removed a promotional image after discovering it had been altered with artificial intelligence to replace a Hispanic male student with an AI-generated Black female without disclosure. The image, circulated by the university's Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE), violated Stanford's policy prohibiting the use of AI to create or modify images of Stanford people, events, research, facilities, or achievements.

What Happened

The original photo was taken at a Lunar New Year party in 2024 and included senior Billy Ramirez, a human biology major. Ramirez told The Stanford Review he remembered a campus photographer taking the shot and said he noticed the edit immediately when a friend sent him a comparison between the banner and the original photographs.

Stanford UniversityCredit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty

'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 said. '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.'

University Response

A Stanford spokesperson told PEOPLE that a review confirmed AI had been used to alter the image in violation of university policy. Materials containing the altered image were removed, and the university said it will provide additional staff training and strengthen review procedures to prevent future breaches.

'Stanford's AI policy is clear: The use of AI in producing or altering images of Stanford people, events, research, facilities, or achievements is strictly prohibited,' the spokesperson said. 'Both the alteration and lack of disclosure in this case violate that policy. We are working to provide additional training for all staff and ensure proper review of all materials.'

According to reports, the two other students who appear in the photo were visually altered but not replaced; their identities have not been released. The episode arrives as Stanford — which established one of the earliest university AI research labs in 1965 — tightens guidance on artificial intelligence amid rapid advances in image-generation tools.

Broader Context

The incident underscores growing concerns about transparency, consent and the ethical use of AI in institutional communications. Stanford's decision to remove the image and revise staff processes aims to restore trust and reaffirm rules that prohibit undisclosed AI modifications to images of people and events.