09/26/2026
🇨🇦 Michigan CEO No Longer Employed After Viral “Lake America” AI Photo Backlash
A Michigan credit union CEO who faced backlash after sharing an AI-generated image of herself and her family wearing “Lake America” sweatshirts during a trip to Canada is no longer employed by Family First Credit Union. The credit union confirmed Jane Smith’s departure was effective immediately and named chief operating officer Jason Acosta as interim CEO, while apologizing for the “concern, disappointment and pain” caused by the situation. The organization has not publicly said whether Smith resigned or was fired, or explicitly linked her departure to the controversial post.
Smith previously apologized for sharing the AI image, calling it an error in judgment and explaining that her family never actually wore the sweatshirts. Family First had also publicly distanced itself from the post, saying it did not represent the credit union. The controversy quickly spread in Canada, and now Smith’s tenure at the organization has come to an abrupt end. Do you think losing a CEO position over a controversial personal social media post is justified, or did this go too far? 🤔