By Nworisa Michael
The Presidency has explained why an image from the recent meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rwandan President Paul Kagame was enhanced using artificial intelligence, following public controversy over its authenticity.
The clarification came after photographs released on Sunday showing both leaders meeting in Paris sparked debate online, with some social media users alleging that the image was entirely AI-generated after spotting a watermark linked to Grok, an artificial intelligence tool developed by Elon Musk’s xAI.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, dismissed claims that the image was fabricated, insisting that the meeting between President Tinubu and President Kagame indeed took place.
According to Ajayi, the photograph was captured with a mobile phone that produced low-quality images. He explained that artificial intelligence was later used solely to enhance the clarity of the photo, not to generate it.
He stated that both leaders met in Paris on Sunday, where they shared lunch, and later that same day attended a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. He stressed that the use of AI for image enhancement should not be misconstrued as evidence that the event itself was staged or fictional.
Ajayi further criticised reports suggesting otherwise, saying journalists and editors should verify facts before drawing conclusions, especially on sensitive matters involving diplomatic engagements.
The explanation comes amid growing public scrutiny of digital tools and their use in official government communications, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into media production.