If you've scrolled through social media this year, you've likely seen them: bold letters, bright colors, and images with a slightly off quality that marks them as machine-made. A growing number of Wilmington-based content creators, businesses, and government-funded bodies have posted AI-generated images to their social media channels.
A Pew Research Center study published Aug. 20 found that 10% of 10,000 randomly selected webpages showed signs of AI authorship. A related study found that half of U.S. adults use AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot, with just under a quarter using them daily.
While the technology has made it easier for anyone to design high-resolution flyers, generative AI has drawbacks. Commenters often refer to the mass-produced images as "AI slop," citing concerns about misinformation and the replacement of human artists with repetitive designs.
Government entities in Wilmington haven't flooded their feeds with AI content, but some agency pages have used the controversial graphics to promote events and provide emergency information.
Law enforcement leads local government AI use
As of late August, the StarNews found AI-generated flyers posted by the Wilmington Police Department, New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, Carolina Beach Police Department, and the Wrightsville Beach Police Department. The local government AI usage is largely limited to law enforcement accounts.
WPD Communications Specialist Brandon Shope said the department uses Canva and Adobe Suite, which have incorporated built-in AI features "like many major technology companies across the country."
"AI is not used alone when it comes to producing the actual content within the flyers we put out," Shope said.
Shope emphasized that most of the department's content is created entirely by public affairs staff, who check AI-generated content for accuracy. The other law enforcement agencies did not respond to inquiries about their use of AI-generated content.
Why some agencies avoid AI images
Social media pages for New Hanover County, the city of Wilmington, and New Hanover's beach towns have steered away from generative AI content. County Chief Communications Officer Josh Smith said New Hanover does not use AI-generated images on its official accounts and does not plan to.
"Employees have the option to use AI tools within the framework established by the county and their department heads, and that's where these discussions happen," Smith said. "Our office also works with departments to make sure the graphics and imagery they produce meet accessibility standards and best practices."
The county adopted its AI policy and staff guidelines in March 2024 and established an internal committee to guide long-term priorities. AI is used "where it actually helps improve the county's service to residents," Smith said. The county currently uses AI-powered phone systems for low-income energy assistance intake and 24/7 stormwater emergency response - programs that earned two of New Hanover's 11 National Association of Counties Achievement Awards this year.
"AI-generated content is vetted for accuracy, appropriateness, bias, privacy and security, and confidential information stays out of these tools," Smith said. "The accuracy standard does not change because AI was involved."
For government employees navigating similar decisions, the Wilmington example offers a clear framework: use AI where it improves service delivery, keep human oversight in the loop, and maintain the same accuracy standards as any other content. Whether that means adopting AI for Government tools or pursuing AI Social Media Courses, the key is having a written policy before the technology becomes a problem.
Why this matters for government professionals
Public agencies face a specific challenge: AI tools can stretch limited staff resources, but the stakes for accuracy are higher than in the private sector. A misleading flyer about an emergency or a public event isn't a marketing blunder - it's a failure of public trust. The New Hanover model of pairing AI efficiency with human review and documented policies gives government employees a template they can adapt to their own departments.
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