Huamani, Kaitlyn. “Trump’s use of AI images further erodes public trust, experts say.” PBS News, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trumps-use-of-ai-images-further-erodes-public-trust-experts-say. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Kaitlyn Huamani’s article raises concerns among experts and the public around how the government and other sources of news use generative artificial intelligence to create misleading digital content. The primary example that Huamani highlights is President Donald Trump posting an AI-generated image of a political opponent, Nekima Levy Armstrong, to make it appear as though she’s crying when she wasn’t. Administration officials and allies claim that these images are not any different from other popularized internet content like memes or political cartoons. However, experts on digital media and communications say that this behavior makes it difficult for the public to know what content to trust. There is also some discussion of why some internet users may feel drawn to misleading AI-generated content based on their political views.
As AI becomes politicized, I think it’s important to keep in mind how the public perceives AI. It is also important to stay aware of how the AI is being used by powerful people to influence or manipulate the public. Its uses and the motivations that guide users help us understand that this technology is not inherently neutral.
Leave a Reply