Free Press Writer Uses AI to Alter Election Night Photo

Olivia Reingold, a writer for The Free Press, posted a photograph on X on Tuesday night showing a woman’s feet in Valentino Rockstud heels and a quilted gold Chanel bag. Reingold described the image as evidence of designer items, including a Moncler jacket and Rolex watches, at an election night event for Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed. The post, which included a list of luxury brands, suggested a display of wealth among Democratic supporters.

Within an hour, Reingold issued a clarification. She stated that the woman in the photo was not at El-Sayed’s specific party but at a gathering for the entire Michigan Democratic Party. She described the image as a data point for the state apparatus. Social media users quickly identified the photo as AI-generated. Vanity Fair published a forensic analysis of the fashion items, noting inconsistencies that proved the goods were not authentic.

Two days after the initial post, Reingold published a second note explaining her process. She admitted to using ChatGPT to brighten and sharpen the image. Reingold insisted that the woman was real and that the items remained visible after processing. She wrote, "The observation holds." The Free Press did not immediately remove the AI-altered image from her feed.

A spokesperson for The Free Press did not respond to questions about whether the publication has a policy governing the use of AI in news photography. The outlet is now part of CBS News after Paramount acquired The Free Press for roughly $150 million last year. Reingold previously gained prominence through influencer-style videos for the publication.

The AI incident occurred alongside another editorial slip. Maya Sulkin, another reporter at The Free Press, posted a reaction video to the outlet's own content. The video contained a factual error. The Free Press first added a correction on X but did not update the post on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. Two days later, the outlet deleted the video entirely.

In a statement, The Free Press said it removed the video because the tone fell short of its standards for public discourse. A spokesperson declined to describe the editorial process or clarify if Sulkin would face consequences. The publication's leadership is under scrutiny as it transitions from a digital blog to a global news operation.

Anand Giridharadas revealed late last week that he had recorded a podcast interview with Reingold that has not been released. He suggested the interview was shelved for ideological reasons. Giridharadas told reporters he hoped to get out of echo chambers by discussing real differences with Reingold. The Free Press did not respond to questions about the shelved interview.

Giridharadas compared the publication's handling of the AI photo to its treatment of his interview. He said the leadership should feel proud that his conversation with Reingold involved two human beings grappling across difference. He added that if they are more comfortable publishing fake photographs than real conversations, the outlet has changed its identity.

The Free Press operates under the oversight of Bari Weiss, who sits in the top spot at CBS News. Weiss has not publicly addressed the AI image or the deleted video. The publication continues to post content on social media without a stated policy on image manipulation.