AI Chatbots Remove Hijabs from Images of Muslim Women When Prompted

AI Chatbots Alter Images

When prompted, AI chatbots including OpenAI's ChatGPT and xAI's Grok removed hijabs from AI-generated images of Muslim women. Google's Gemini initially declined to remove clothing without consent but complied when asked to make the woman appear more "western." Anthropic's Claude stated it does not have image editing features and would not alter a photo to remove a hijab.

Context of Digital Manipulation

This testing followed an incident where a French far-right politician, Julien Odoul, posted a modified image of a Muslim woman with her hijab and long-sleeved dress removed, captioning it "LIBERT) FRAN)AISE." While the specific AI tool he used was not identified, experts indicate this is part of a growing pattern of tech-enabled anti-Muslim hatred globally.

Broader Implications

A study by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) found generative AI is increasingly used in India to create images that sexualize Muslim women or dehumanize Muslims. Similar AI-enabled hatred has been directed at prominent female Muslim politicians in the US. This trend highlights how AI tools can be misused to target and abuse Muslim communities, particularly women.