Jane Smith AI image incident — Sep 2026

On September 20, 2026, Jane Smith, CEO of Family First Credit Union, apologized following the viral spread of an AI-generated image depicting her family wearing matching sweatshirts. The incident led to public backlash and prompted the family to cut a planned trip to Halifax short due to safety concerns.

What happened

Smith and her family took a photograph at the Detroit airport before boarding a flight to Canada. They subsequently used ChatGPT to generate an image of what they would look like wearing sweatshirts labeled "Lake America," a reference to discussions regarding a presidential order to rename Lake Ontario. Smith stated that her original Facebook post included an AI disclosure label, but the marker was removed when her sister shared the image publicly with a caption referencing the Canadian reaction to the name change.

The resulting image drew intense criticism from Canadian viewers, leading to threats against the family. Smith apologized for the post, describing it as insensitive and poor judgment, noting that while the image did not depict a real event, she recognized it was offensive. The board of directors at Family First Credit Union issued a statement distancing the institution from the post, noting it was made in a personal capacity without the organization's authorization. The board is currently determining subsequent steps regarding the matter.