Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) recently used generative AI to alter the race, gender, and physical appearance of students in its advertisements.
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Stanford R&DE Uses Generative AI to Change Student Race and Appearance in Advertisements
According to a report by the Stanford Review, students noticed that their images in university banners had been modified. One student, Billy Ramirez, reported that he was removed from a photo and replaced by an AI-generated Black woman. Additionally, the AI was used to slim down the faces of other students in the photographs.
Ramirez expressed confusion and feeling "silenced and erased" regarding the decision to change his identity in official representation. While the incident has generated significant reactions on the social platform Fizz, the Stanford Review noted that the use of AI for these purposes raises questions about ideological preferences within the university's bureaucracy.
Sources
- Stanford R&DE Uses AI to Race Swap Students for Advertising （Hacker News Frontpage, 2026-09-22）