Stanford University has criticized the use of artificial intelligence to alter the race and appearance of students in a promotional photo, calling it a "serious error in judgment." The issue involves an image of three students posing in front of Star Ginger, a dining hall at the university. The original photo shows one female student and two male students holding their plates as they pose for the camera. However, an altered version of the image replaced one of the male students with an AI-generated Black female student and made the other two students appear significantly slimmer. This modified image was used in advertisements by Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises, according to The Stanford Review, the university's student-run newspaper. The controversy has sparked concern among students and staff. Billy Ramirez, a Hispanic student whose image was altered and removed from the photo, expressed distress over the situation. Initially, Ramirez found the use of AI in the image humorous, but upon seeing the comparison between the original and altered versions, he felt upset. He said the change made him feel "silenced and erased from a representation that was supposed to include me." Ramirez did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. The editor-in-chief of The Stanford Review, Garret Molloy, criticized the university for using AI to create a "false perception of diversity." He noted that the altered images were displayed on welcome banners across campus and that the banners were later removed. Molloy pointed out that the practice of using AI to create diverse images is replacing the previous method of having college photographers find diverse groups of students on campus. Stanford University has since issued a statement condemning the altered image, calling it a violation of its AI policy for marketing and communications. A university spokesperson said the changes made to the image "reflect a serious error in judgment" and expressed regret for the students involved. The university has launched an investigation into the incident and plans to implement new protocols to prevent similar occurrences in the future.