The Presidency has dismissed reports and social media claims suggesting that a photograph showing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris was generated using artificial intelligence.
On Sunday Special Assistant to President Tinubu, Dada Olusegun, shared the image via his X account, stating that the Nigerian leader held a private lunch meeting with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda where the two leaders exchanged views on global developments and explored ways to advance Africa’s growth and cooperation.
The image had drawn widespread criticism online after commentators alleged that its content was created using artificial intelligence, specifically referencing Grok X, an AI image tool. Several media reports and social media users cited the perceived visual quality of the photograph as evidence of AI generation.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described the reports as a misrepresentation of facts, stressing that the photograph is authentic.
According to the statement, President Tinubu and President Kagame met in Paris on Sunday, where they had lunch together. Later that evening, both leaders also attended a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Ajayi explained that the photograph in question was taken with a mobile phone, which affected its initial quality. He noted that the photographer subsequently used Grok, an AI-powered tool, solely to enhance the image quality, not to generate or manipulate the image itself.
“The use of an image enhancement tool does not make the photograph artificial or AI-generated,” the statement said.
The Presidency criticized the media outlets and commentators who circulated the AI claims, stating that basic fact-checking and inquiries should have been conducted before drawing such conclusions.
Ajayi urged media practitioners to exercise greater professional responsibility to avoid spreading misinformation, particularly on matters involving international diplomacy and the President’s engagements.
