We’ve all been there, whether it’s taking a professional photo for your resume, posing for a company headshot, or simply getting the perfect selfie, everyone has agonized in front of a camera at some point. And who can blame us? With the rise of the internet, it’s likelier than ever that the first impression people will get of us is from a photo. Employers head to LinkedIn before meeting us in person, many of our friends only see us online, and even many romantic relationships start with potential partners checking out your picture before meeting us in person. After all, almost 30% of U.S. adults say they have used a dating site or app.
However, there’s an art to being photogenic and not all of us possess it. Some of us spend hours applying makeup and styling our hair to look perfect in front of the mirror, only for the camera to shatter any illusions we may have. Others spend time trawling through countless blog posts and videos dedicated to taking the perfect selfie. It seems unfair, we think, as we scroll past photos of celebrities looking flawless, even ‘without makeup’. In desperation, we may even turn to filters in search of sneaky ways to alter our features and level the playing field.
Sometimes just tweaking the color will do it, but there’s always the temptation to try more—and that can lead to disaster. Photoshop fails are a running joke on the internet, with warped surroundings where people have tried to slim down, impossibly large eyes, and even missing body parts (think Kim Kardashian’s four-toed selfie) all subject to ridicule. Witness enough of these and you’ll likely shy away from editing and save yourself some reputational damage.
So, if you’re not a natural in front of the camera, what’s left? Well, technology now offers an intriguing solution: AI image generators. According to those who provide these tools, AI image generation is a quick, easy, low-cost alternative that can provide you with a multitude of pictures at the touch of a button. Simply send in a few photographs of yourself, tell the generator what you’re looking for, and within hours you’ll have a selection of perfectly poised headshots to choose from. And you can’t lose—even if you don’t have time to get ready or you’re simply not looking your best that day, it doesn’t matter.
The generator fixes everything for you. Bad background? No problem, AI can provide one. Dim lighting? That’s okay too. And you won’t be captured looking tense, blinking at the wrong moment, or resembling Quasimodo when the camera catches you off-guard. Best of all, with an AI headshot generator, you’re paying a fraction of the cost of a professional photoshoot.
But how is this possible? Essentially, the photos you send in allow the generator to “learn” your facial features using an algorithm. Extensive training is required for this, during which the generator produces random images based on real-life photos. The generator is then paired with another network called a discriminator, which evaluates the images and tries to determine which is real and which is AI.
As the generator becomes better at tricking the discriminator, the discriminator becomes more discerning. Hence, the images become more and more accurate. Millions of photographs are used in this training to create a wide array of styles and settings, but you’ll only need to submit a few photos to get your own shots.
AI is stochastic in nature, meaning it’s inherently random. This is great if you’re looking for a few similar, but not identical, images of yourself as AI will increase the variation in your images. However, AI image generation does have a few drawbacks in terms of accuracy as not every image you receive will look enough like you to be used. The service you use matters here; some of the better ones employ facial similarity scoring processes to determine whether each image is up to standard. They may also carry out processing to refine your features after each image has been generated.
Of course, there are a few practical and ethical considerations to bear in mind when using AI. Data privacy is one of the first, and with good reason. Misuse of AI can lead to your headshots being used without permission, or your data being sold to a third party. This is another reason it’s important to choose a reputable image generator. All websites providing this service should adhere strictly to data security laws and should delete your data after a specified period of time or upon request.
The second point to consider is that, for all their accuracy, some AI headshots — mostly those generated by low-quality tools — may not fully capture authenticity. An AI ‘photograph’ may fit the description of you precisely, with accurate features, a perfect pose, and professional surroundings—but it still won’t be you. There could be subtle differences in your expression or overall look, which are common issues with low-quality tools. A real photo reflects not only your features but also the choices you have made; your life experience is captured in a moment. You can avoid these quality issues by using the best AI generators on the market, which can produce uncannily realistic headshots.
It can be easy to see taking photos of yourself as a chore, an obligation to fulfill if you’re going to make it in the world of business and social media. But really, it’s an opportunity. Your headshot is one of the few ways to showcase your uniqueness and personality online; a precursor to meeting you in person. With this in mind, it’s not the end for real photography just yet. Filters, professional editing, and face-altering technology have all had their day—and received backlash accordingly—which has led users to be far more discerning about their applications. After all, we can tell the difference, and as much as many of us like to fake it, we don’t like being tricked. But for those truly unphotogenic souls who just want a headshot that won’t get them locked in the belltower of Notre-Dame cathedral, AI is a very useful tool.
DISCLAIMER: No part of the story was written by The Signal editorial staff.
