Michael Whatley Admits AI Made Fake Hurricanes Player Image as 300,000 Users Mock Post
Updated
Updated · WRAL News · Jun 3
Michael Whatley Admits AI Made Fake Hurricanes Player Image as 300,000 Users Mock Post
3 articles · Updated · WRAL News · Jun 3
Summary
Michael Whatley acknowledged Wednesday that his campaign used AI to create a Hurricanes graphic after fans mocked a Game 1 “Let’s go, Canes!” post for depicting an unrecognizable player.
Nearly 300,000 users had viewed the X post by late Wednesday, with critics citing garbled jersey lettering and inconsistent helmet branding as signs of an AI-generated fake.
At a Zebulon campaign event, Whatley called the image “just a graphic” and “not a big deal,” but he sidestepped questions about favorite Hurricanes players, reinforcing accusations that he is a fair-weather fan.
David McLennan, a Meredith College political scientist, said the issue is less about hockey loyalty than campaign credibility, arguing the bungled AI image invites wider scrutiny of Whatley’s messaging.
The flap lands in a high-stakes North Carolina Senate race where Trump-endorsed Whatley trails Democrat Roy Cooper, a frequent Hurricanes attendee who aired a TV ad during Game 1.