Oakland AI City Hall Image Sparks Spot The Difference Contest

Oakland City Hall looks similar when you ask artificial intelligence to generate it, but it's hardly flawless. Credit: City of Oakland (left); Amir Aziz/The Oaklandside (right)

Ahead of Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee's first State of the City address, her office sent a media advisory that caught the attention of local journalists for an unusual reason. The press release featured an image of Oakland's City Hall, but it was quickly apparent that the image was generated by artificial intelligence, complete with noticeable errors and fabricated details.

Journalists at The Oaklandside, familiar with the Beaux-Arts building from countless hours of reporting, immediately spotted discrepancies. This led them to launch a unique challenge for their readers: a spot-the-difference contest comparing the AI-generated image with an actual photograph of City Hall.

Residents Rise to the Challenge

The call to action was met with enthusiasm from the community. Two Oakland residents, Andrew Danish and Tone’e Tipton, meticulously examined the images and each identified approximately 30 differences.

Danish, a graphic designer, mentioned he loaded the pictures on a large screen and would notice new discrepancies each time he passed by. He expressed surprise at the city's choice, noting, “There’s gotta be so much stock available for that building, even a vintage postcard.”

Tipton, a social services provider who works near the plaza, found the AI image “hilarious” but also felt the “cartoony” depiction was “unfortunate, especially with the state Oakland’s in.” She had spotted the differences by carefully scouring the two pictures “from top to bottom.”

City Officials Respond to AI Image Use

A spokesperson for the mayor’s office, Justin Phillips, acknowledged the use of the AI-generated image was an anomaly. “It was definitely an outlier,” he stated. “We don’t normally rely on AI for content or graphics, particularly in media advisories. Moving forward, we’re going to stick with regular images.”

Navigating AI Use in Public Service

The incident highlights the broader challenge governments face as they explore the use of artificial intelligence. While AI tools can offer efficiency to under-staffed agencies, they also bring concerns about accuracy, transparency, and privacy.

The city of Oakland has been developing plans for AI implementation for over a year, with a formal policy expected soon. According to Deputy City Administrator Joe DeVries, interim guidelines have been in place since last December. These rules outline a review process for new tools and prohibit the use of city data or personal information of staff and residents in AI systems. The guidelines also mandate that any use of AI in public information be disclosed, a step that was missed in the recent press release.