Jane Smith is no longer CEO of Family First Credit Union after an AI-altered vacation photo plunged the Michigan executive into a firestorm of online outrage.
The Saginaw-based credit union announced Wednesday that Smith had departed following her Sept. 11 Facebook post showing family members in “Lake America” sweatshirts during a trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The image was generated using ChatGPT, according to ABC12 News, a local outlet that first reported the story.
Smith and her relatives were at the start of a 10-day Canadian vacation when she shared the photo to her private Facebook account. Her sister Lisa, who was traveling with the group, reportedly reposted it publicly without disclosing the AI manipulation.
“Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will. Lol lol,” Smith had captioned the original post, which has since been deleted.
The timing proved explosive. Two weeks earlier, President Trump had signed an executive order renaming the U.S. Portion of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” as trade tensions between the countries escalated. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. Lawmakers including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had publicly criticized the rebrand. While MapQuest refused to implement the change, Apple and Google adopted it.
Smith’s attempt at humor landed with a thud across social platforms. One Reddit user fired back: “she can take her political drama and f–k off.”
The backlash escalated rapidly. Smith told ABC12 News that her family had to cut the trip short because she was receiving death threats. She also said she has no plans to use AI again.
“We weren’t trying to make a political statement,” she said in the interview. “However, we were, you know, kind of poking fun at the fact that you know one of the Great Lakes’ names were getting changed.”
Smith expressed remorse for the fallout during her conversation with the local station.
“I am not a person that would ever want to offend or hurt anybody,” she said. “I do regret having any post that would make someone feel like we don’t value them as human beings.”
Family First, headquartered about 75 miles from the Canadian border, moved to distance itself from its former leader even before her departure was finalized. In an earlier statement to ABC12 News, the credit union said it “unequivocally disapproves and rejects the content of the social media post involving our CEO, Jane Smith.”
The institution’s Wednesday announcement of Smith’s exit struck a conciliatory tone toward its membership. The credit union apologized “for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community.” It acknowledged that community members might view the decision differently, adding: “Our responsibility is to act in the best interest of the Credit Union, uphold the trust of our members and continue putting our community first.”
The episode highlights the speed at which AI-generated content can spiral beyond its creator’s control, particularly when reposted without original context. Smith’s private post became public through her sister’s account, stripping away whatever limited audience she had initially intended.
Smith’s case also illustrates how geopolitical tensions can amplify otherwise personal social media moments. The “Lake America” renaming had already generated cross-border controversy before her vacation photo surfaced, with major tech companies split on whether to recognize the new designation.
Family First did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.