CU CEO Says AI-Doctored ‘Lake America’ Photo Led to Death Threats, Cut Trip Short
By CU Today Staff —
SAGINAW, Mich.— The CEO of Family First Credit Union says an AI-altered family photo that went viral and triggered an online backlash was intended as a joke—not a political statement—and ultimately led her family to cut short a trip to Canada after she received death threats, according to WJRT-TV.
Jane Smith told WJRT the controversy began before her family left Sept. 11 for a planned 10-day trip to Halifax. The family took a photo and used ChatGPT to alter it so they appeared to be wearing matching “Lake America” sweatshirts. President Trump recently issued and executive order to rename Lake Ontario Lake America.
“We weren't trying to make a political statement,” Smith said. “However, we were, you know, kind of poking fun at the fact that you know one of the Great Lakes' names were getting changed.”
Smith said she posted the altered photo to her private Facebook page with an indicator identifying it as AI-generated. But her sister later took a screenshot and posted it publicly without the AI marker, allowing the image to spread widely as though the family had actually worn the shirts in Canada.
“My sister took a screenshot, she made her own comment and she posted it,” Smith told WJRT. “We were in Halifax at the time. We never had actual sweatshirts. We never wore sweatshirts.”
Smith said the family returned home early Tuesday after she began receiving death threats. She also said the experience changed her view of artificial intelligence.
“I think the AI can be dangerous in the fact that it can make people think something's real that's not,” Smith said. “I understand if I was someone in Halifax and I thought a poor group of people walked in wearing those sweatshirts, it is highly offensive and I would understand why they would be so angry.”
Smith also rejected speculation that she was in Halifax for a credit union-related event. Erin Hancock, program manager for a program at Saint Mary's University, confirmed to WJRT that Smith had no connection to it.
“She is not part of our program and we do not know her. This is an internet urban legend,” Hancock said. “Credit unions, as community-owned, democratically run financial services institutions stand for values of inclusion and solidarity so I was disappointed to see credit unions implicated in this act.”
Originally reported by CU Today.