By Charles Maduka
A photograph released from President Bola Tinubu’s reported meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris has sparked widespread controversy online after social media users observed a Grok watermark on the image.
The meeting was said to have taken place in Paris on Sunday. However, the photograph shared on President Tinubu’s verified X account bore the watermark of Grok, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI. The presence of the watermark immediately raised questions over whether the image was generated or altered using artificial intelligence tools.
The same photograph was also posted by the President’s Special Assistant on New Media, Dada Olusegun, a development that further amplified attention and reactions across social media platforms. Several users criticised the use of an image carrying an AI watermark to depict a high-level diplomatic engagement.
While some commentators questioned the authenticity of the photograph and demanded clarification on the President’s whereabouts, others maintained that official government communication should not rely on AI-generated or edited images without clear disclosure.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Presidency or the President’s media team regarding the source or nature of the photograph. The development has reignited discussions on transparency, credibility and the appropriate use of artificial intelligence in public communication.
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