An influencer has responded to criticism after being accused of using AI to place her face onto a Black creator’s body — despite being a white woman.
Lauren Blake Boultier has now addressed the disputed image she shared, which was alleged to have originated from a photo of Tatiana Elizabeth at the U.S. Open two years ago.
Elizabeth brought the allegation forward on Threads and through her Instagram Stories, claiming Boultier used AI to overlay her own face onto Elizabeth’s body.
People then began circulating a side-by-side comparison showing Elizabeth’s 2024 photo next to the one Boultier posted. In the comparison, both images feature the same outfit, a matching pose, and what appears to be the same background.
Observers also pointed out that the skin tone shown from the neck down appears consistent between the two photos.
Boultier later issued an apology on Instagram regarding the use of AI, saying she accepts responsibility, according to TMZ Sports.
“That shouldn’t have happened, and I take full responsibility,” she said, adding that she did not purposefully use Elizabeth’s image.
“This came from an A.I. content system my team uses to generate images at scale,” Boultier told TMZ. “I did not see the original image or intentionally set out to copy anyone’s work, but that doesn’t change the outcome.”
“I understand this impacted another creator, especially when it comes to respecting original work, and I never want to contribute to that kind of frustration or harm within the creative community that I have been a part of for 10 years,” Boultier added. “I take full responsibility for what appears on my platforms.”
She also said she has since contacted Elizabeth directly, and pledged to increase oversight with her agency to ensure her content is managed with greater care and respect going forward.
She concluded: “I am deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused the original creator and the community at large.”
Elizabeth first addressed the situation in a March 30 post, accusing Boultier of using her photo as the basis for the edited image.
“Bar for bar,” Elizabeth initially said in her March 30 post, which called out Boultier for using her image: “The weirdest part about this is that it’s not even an AI influencer. This is a real person who used AI to put her head on my body.”
She also alleged that the image was used to imply Boultier attended the 2026 Miami Open during the event dates between March 17 and March 29.
“She geotagged MIAMI as if she’s at the Miami Open. When my photo was taken at the US open two years ago,” Elizabeth continued.
In follow-up Instagram Stories, she highlighted what she viewed as multiple identical details between the two images.
“Well this is….. peculiar…I was here too!! In this same exact outfit and the same watch, same bag, picture was taken at the same angle even..omg we even have the same tattoo!!!!!!?”
She later added that the situation felt unsettling, criticizing the idea of presenting a fabricated version of events online.
She later scathed: “Pretending to be somewhere you weren’t, in something you’ve never worn, as someone you’re not… for social media. It’s a little scary.”
Elizabeth also discussed the incident in a TikTok video, saying she was confused by what she believed had happened while stressing she wasn’t trying to attack anyone.
The influencer also shared a TikTok video about the situation, where she added, “And by no means am I trying to bash this girls into health is real, and I’m not a bully… I’m just, I’m a little perplexed.”
“I just want to know what was the reason,” Elizabeth continued. “Cause social media got to our heads that much that we are completely disregarding couth?”
After Boultier shared her apology, Elizabeth posted another TikTok, where she said she did not feel Boultier had taken true “accountability” for what occurred.