This is a bad look for Stanford University. The California private school was busted for altering some student advertising materials, likely using AI, and the backlash has been swift. Not only did they use AI to race-swap one of the students, it appears they also used AI to slim down an Asian girl in the ad.
Stanford just used AI to race swap a student for their advertisements. pic.twitter.com/xXjixdIyjU
— The Stanford Review (@StanfordReview) September 21, 2026
As you can see, the young man on the right was removed and replaced with a black female. It also looks like they altered the face of the young man in the middle.
And they definitely made the Asian girl thinner.
The student who was removed spoke to the Stanford Review and 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."
The student spoke to the Review stating, "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."
— The Stanford Review (@StanfordReview) September 21, 2026
That has to sting, because Stanford certainly cashes his tuition checks.
This is one of the craziest stories I’ve seen out of higher ed in a minute.
— Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) September 21, 2026
I love how, even after the insane choice to make artificial students for the sake of diversity, marketing still couldn’t resist going one step further and outfitting everyone in Stanford gear.
They did swap out the gear, too.
forget the race swap why tf did they make the girl on the left hotter😭 https://t.co/5WvwN5Cmn6
— kira 👾 (@kirawontmiss) September 21, 2026
Isn't that body shaming?
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@HarmeetKDhillon) September 22, 2026
Wow is an understatement.
Stanford isn't the first university to do this. 25 years ago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison photoshopped a black student onto the cover of its application.
UW-Madison photoshopped a Black student into the cover of its 2001-02 application booklet. More than a quarter century later, universities are still so obsessed with virtue signaling that they're making the same mistakes. https://t.co/AjuyouFQdJ pic.twitter.com/vXJq0ecRwy
— Benjamin Rothove (@BenjaminRothove) September 21, 2026
See if you can spot him. It's bad.
Istanbul Technical University (ITU) in Turkey also reportedly did this.
Benzerini İTÜ de yapmıştı. Bizim 250. Yıl mezuniyetinde çekilen fotoğrafımızı kapak fotoğrafı yaparken görseldeki arkadaşımı kaldırıp yerine kapalı bi kızı. Kısa etekli arkadaşımın da eteğini uzatmıştı. Ben bunu farkedip ifşa edince İTÜ fotoğrafı kaldırdı https://t.co/IMrWqhz3em
— Ulaş (@Sekilsaclar) September 22, 2026
"They had done something similar at ITU. When making our photo from the 250th anniversary graduation into a cover photo, they removed my friend from the image and replaced her with a girl wearing a headscarf. They had also lengthened the skirt of my friend who was wearing a short skirt. When I noticed this and exposed it, ITU took down the photo," the user wrote.
Stanford did respond to the controversy, saying it violated school policy. According to Inside Higher Ed, Stanford spokesperson Charlene Gage issued an emailed statement that read, "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. 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."
Editor’s Note: Hollywood, academia, and liberal elites are out of touch with the average American.
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