SINN Fein have taken aim at an AI social media post from Tanaiste Simon Harris in which he accidentally labelled himself a penis as Gaeilge.
Over the weekend, the Fine Gael leader jumped on the social media trend that sees people use artificial intelligence to transform their photos into cartoons.
The hugely popular trend sees the Chat GPT AI service turn photos into the style of Japan’s Ghibli animation studio.
In one of the photos that the Tanaiste turned into a cartoon, he is standing in front of Irish soldiers at a podium during a recent press conference.
In the original photo, a sign on the podium reads: “An Ród So Romham” which is the motto of the Defence Forces cadet school and means “This Road Before Me.”
However, when changing the photograph into a cartoon, artificial intelligence accidentally changed the spelling of the Irish phrase to
“An Bod So Romnain” which roughly translates to “This penis…”
Sinn Fein’s Aengus O’Snodaigh took aim at the Tanaiste over the unfortunate social media mishap in a statement released today.
The Dublin TD said: “While everyone is of course entitled to have their fun on social media using new technology, the Tanaiste calling himself a “penis” in a cartoon shows his preoccupation with frantically rushing between superficial photo-ops and online trends for likes instead of doing his job effectively.”
Sinn Fein’s spokesman for the Irish language said the Tanaiste should have checked what words he was placing in front of himself and the Irish soldiers standing behind him.
He said: “Rather than turning Irish soldiers into propaganda cartoons for his personal benefit, Simon Harris could finally give them proper pay and conditions to address the recruitment and retention crisis.
“He could also stop trying to undermine Irish neutrality and the role of the UN in our defence policy under which they have proudly served as peacekeepers for generations.
‘PILFERS THE WORK OF OUR ARTISTS’
“AI represents an unprecedented advance in technology with great opportunities for humanity but among other downsides, it pilfers the work of our artists without paying them or asking for their consent.
“Harris could instruct his Fine Gael Arts Minister Patrick O’Donovan to finally engage with artists and develop a strategy to ensure their livelihoods and intellectual property rights are not undermined as AI develops.”
The photo was today removed from the Tanaiste’s Instagram account after Sinn Fein’s statement was raised with his office.
