Newfoundland and Labrador’s premier says AI-use policies need stronger enforcement after a government vaccination post used an altered image.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham says his government needs to strengthen enforcement of its artificial intelligence policies after a public vaccination post featured an altered image of a woman with six fingers.
The image, posted Friday on a provincial government Facebook page and later removed, was part of a public service announcement encouraging vaccinations. It showed a woman with her sleeve rolled up, but also covering her forearm, and one hand appearing to have six fingers.
In a statement Monday, the provincial government confirmed the image had been altered. It said the latest version of Photoshop used by provincial design staff includes an AI component used for editing and resizing photos, often for social media. In this case, the statement said, the editing process distorted the image and the problem was not caught during review.
Wakeham told reporters Monday that the incident showed the province has to do a better job ensuring its rules are followed.
“The point is they shouldn't be using it,” Wakeham said. “The point is that we've got to focus in on getting our messages out, and unfortunately, when you make mistakes like that, or things like that happen, then that becomes the story.”
He added: “We have to tighten up how government deals with AI and the use of AI, most definitely. It should not happen.”
Wakeham said the province already has policy around the use of AI, and that government is now working to make sure it is enforced.
The episode follows other questions about AI-altered material in provincial politics. In April, Tourism Minister Andrea Barbour faced criticism after posting an altered image of The Rooms in a graphic for national tourism week. The province’s Education Accord, released when Liberal Leader John Hogan was premier, was also criticized for including fake citations that some educators believed may have been AI-generated.
Hogan said Monday that the Liberal party does not use AI to generate or edit photos, though it uses the tool for tasks such as copy or background checking. He called on the government to move quickly on clearer controls, asking, “Where's the legislation? Where's the plan? Where's the policy to fix it?”
NDP Leader Jim Dinn also urged caution, warning that the government’s handling of AI appears to be developing into a pattern.
For now, Wakeham’s immediate commitment is enforcement rather than a newly detailed policy. What remains unclear is whether the province will change its formal rules, introduce legislation or rely on stricter review of government communications before they are published.
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