Stanford Used AI to Alter Student's Race and Gender in Photo

University Acknowledges Policy Violation

Stanford University has admitted to using artificial intelligence software to alter a photograph of students, changing the race and gender of one individual in the process. The incident came to light when Billy Ramirez, the Hispanic male student who was replaced with a Black female student in the edited image, spoke to The Stanford Review, the independent student newspaper that first reported the story.

The original photograph was taken by a Stanford photographer at a Lunar New Year celebration in 2025, showing Ramirez and two other students holding plates of noodles. The AI-modified version was recently published by Stanford Residential and Dining Enterprises, the department responsible for student housing and dining services.

Ramirez told The Stanford Review he was "immediately baffled" upon seeing the altered image. Beyond the complete replacement of his identity, he noted that the two people he was standing with appeared noticeably thinner in the AI version. The university had not contacted him about the photograph before publishing the edited version.

Student Describes Feeling 'Erased'

While Ramirez initially found the dramatic alterations "hilarious," his reaction shifted to frustration. "I was also upset because I don't agree with Stanford making those choices about how we were represented," he told the student publication. "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."

In a statement to The New York Times, Stanford acknowledged the violation. "Stanford's A.I. policy is clear: The use of A.I. in producing or altering images of Stanford people, events, research, facilities or achievements is strictly prohibited," the university said. "Both the alteration and lack of disclosure in this case violate that policy."

The university indicated it is working with Residential and Dining Enterprises to provide additional training and implement proper review procedures for all materials.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the risks institutions face as AI image-editing tools become more accessible and powerful. Stanford's explicit policy against such alterations exists precisely because manipulating representations of real people raises serious ethical questions about authenticity, consent, and identity. The case also echoes a broader pattern: The Times noted that in 2000, the University of Wisconsin-Madison replaced a white student with a Black student on the cover of its undergraduate application booklet, ultimately reprinting 100,000 brochures at significant cost.

Pattern of Photo Editing in Higher Education

Stanford's misstep is not an isolated incident in higher education. Universities have a documented history of editing photographs to project greater diversity, though this appears to be the first widely reported case involving AI technology specifically designed to alter human features.

Ramirez expressed surprise that a photograph from years earlier had resurfaced in this manner, according to The New York Times.

The story was first reported by The Stanford Review, with additional details provided by The New York Times.