Simon Harris was forced to remove the photo from his Instagram

Over the weekend, an Tánaiste took part in a social media trend in which people use artificial intelligence to transform photos into cartoons.

The popular trend uses the Chat GPT AI service to transform photos into the Japan’s Ghibli animation studio style.

The Tánaiste chose a photo from a recent press conference in which he is standing in front of Irish soldiers at a podium to turn into a cartoon.

A sign on the podium in the original photo reads the motto of the Defence Forces cadet school: "An Ród So Romham” which means: "This Road Before Me.”

However, in an unfortunate blunder, during the transformation of the photo, AI changed the phrase to 'An Bod So Romnain', roughly translating to 'This penis…'.

I guess AI isn't fully competent in Irish just yet.

In a statement, Sinn Féin TD, Aengus O’Snodaigh, targeted Harris over the mishap.

He commented: “While everyone is of course entitled to have their fun on social media using new technology, the Tanaiste calling himself a 'penis' in a cartoon shows his preoccupation with frantically rushing between superficial photo-ops and online trends for likes instead of doing his job effectively.”

Sinn Féin’s spokesman for the Irish language stated that the Tanaiste should have checked what the words placed in front of him read.

“Rather than turning Irish soldiers into propaganda cartoons for his personal benefit, Simon Harris could finally give them proper pay and conditions to address the recruitment and retention crisis.

“He could also stop trying to undermine Irish neutrality and the role of the UN in our defence policy under which they have proudly served as peacekeepers for generations," he added.

“AI represents an unprecedented advance in technology with great opportunities for humanity, but among other downsides, it pilfers the work of our artists without paying them or asking for their consent.

“Harris could instruct his Fine Gael Arts Minister Patrick O’Donovan to finally engage with artists and develop a strategy to ensure their livelihoods and intellectual property rights are not undermined as AI develops," he continued.

The photo was removed from Harris's Instagram following Sinn Féin’s statement.