Stanford admits breaking own policy after race-, gender-swapped student photos emerge

Stanford University was caught red-handed using artificial intelligence to alter an image promoting its residential and dining offerings, replacing a Hispanic male student with a Black woman.

The Stanford Review posted the original dining-hall photo — which shows an Asian woman, a White man and a Hispanic student — alongside the altered version on X.

"We have reviewed the matter and confirmed that AI was used to alter the image in violation of university policy. 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," a spokesperson for Stanford University said in a email to Fox News Digital.

"Both the alteration and lack of disclosure in this case violate that policy. We are working with Residential and Dining Enterprises to provide additional training and ensure proper review of all materials," the spokesperson continued.

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A Stanford Residential and Dining Enterprises promotional image was altered using AI to replace a male student with a Black woman, left, while the original image is shown at right. (The Stanford Review)

Billy Ramirez, who was removed from the photo, told the Stanford Review that he was "baffled" when he saw that he was cut out of the photo.

"At first, I found it hilarious that they had used AI to completely change our appearances, including my race and gender," Ramirez told the Stanford Review.

"But after looking at the comparison, I was also upset because I don’t agree with Stanford making those choices about how we were represented," Ramirez continued. "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 addition to removing Ramirez from the photo, the appearances of the two students were also altered, making the Asian woman and White man’s faces thinner.

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Stanford, California: Stanford University Campus. (Photo by David Butow/Corbis via Getty Images)

The controversy comes as Stanford faces scrutiny from the Trump administration over alleged race-based discrimination in both its admissions policies and a teacher-certification support program.

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In April, the Trump administration opened a civil-rights investigation into Stanford over allegations that a teacher-certification program reserved full financial support for educators who identified as people of color. The Education Department said it is examining whether the program violated Title VI by conditioning access to benefits on race.

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And in March 2025, the Justice Department launched an investigation into Stanford along with several other universities over whether it was using diversity, equity and inclusion in admission decisions. The outcome of the Stanford admissions review has not been publicly announced.