Politics · United States · 2 hrs ago
Journalist faces criticism for using AI to alter election-night photo
Free Press journalist Olivia Reingold used AI to alter a photo she posted from a Michigan Democratic Party election-night event.
The image showed a woman wearing Valentino shoes and carrying a Chanel bag, which Reingold cited while noting luxury items at the gathering.
Reingold said ChatGPT brightened and sharpened a real image, and maintained that the woman really wore those items.
She had not disclosed the AI editing when she first posted the photo on X on November 3.
Users criticized her for not disclosing the edit and questioned whether AI processing changed details in the image.
The dispute raises questions about transparency in journalism when AI tools are used to modify photographs.
The event was held as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed celebrated his win over Republican Mike Rogers in a closely contested Senate race.
Journalist Olivia Reingold faced criticism after disclosing that she used ChatGPT to alter an election-night photograph.
Reingold posted the image on X on November 3, showing a woman wearing Valentino shoes and carrying a Chanel bag.
She said she used ChatGPT to brighten and sharpen a real image, and maintained that it still showed the same designer items.
Critics questioned the image’s reliability and Reingold’s decision not to disclose the AI use when she first posted it.
The photograph was taken at a Michigan Democratic Party election-night event where Abdul El-Sayed celebrated his victory.
- Who
- Olivia Reingold, a staff writer at The Free Press, and critics of her image.
- What
- Reingold used ChatGPT to brighten and sharpen an election-night photograph without disclosing that use in her original post.
- When
- She posted the image on November 3 and acknowledged using ChatGPT on Thursday.
- Where
- The photograph was from a Michigan Democratic Party election-night event and was posted on X.
- Why
- Reingold said she used ChatGPT to brighten and sharpen the image. Critics objected to the undisclosed AI alteration and questioned whether it changed the image’s details.
Olivia Reingold
Critics of Reingold
Image reliability
Olivia Reingold
Reingold said the image was real and that it still showed the same designer items after processing.
Critics of Reingold
Critics said AI upscaling can generate or alter details, making the image unreliable.
Disclosure
Olivia Reingold
Reingold acknowledged the AI use after the image drew scrutiny.
Critics of Reingold
Critics said the AI alteration should have been disclosed when she posted the image.
Reingold posted the photograph on X without disclosing that she had used AI.
Users, including journalist Julia Black, questioned whether the image was AI-generated.
Reingold said she had used ChatGPT to brighten and sharpen what she described as a real image.
- Journalist
- Olivia Reingold, a staff writer at The Free Press
- AI tool
- ChatGPT
- Post date
- November 3
- Items shown
- Valentino shoes and a Chanel bag
- Event
- Michigan Democratic Party election-night event
What people are saying
After processing, it still shows these same things: a woman wearing Valentino shoes and a Chanel bag
AI image detectors confirmed that yes, Olivia Reingold used an AI-generated image to make her point, without a drop of disclosure. Wild!!!!
I’m sorry but you’re allegedly a professional journalist; how are you not aware that AI “upscaling” completely confabulates missing detail?
That's not how it works. It takes your image, obliterates it, then recompiles it to a fully generated image.