Beyond the Box: Exploring the Practical Potential of AI Self-Dolls
- Fairy Gada
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
What is the ChatGPT box doll trend on social media?
In the final year of my graduation, our professors encouraged us to ‘sell yourself’ to crack job interviews. My initial interpretation of this advice was literal, but I soon grasped their intended meaning.
I, later, came to understand that they meant we should highlight our skills and personality to demonstrate our suitability for the professional role.
The recent trend of people creating doll or action figure versions of themselves, complete with blister packaging for display, makes me wonder about the most beneficial and practical uses this idea could have, moving beyond just a novelty.
Social media is currently seeing a surge in AI "box doll" image edits, a trend that has captured the attention of a wide range of users, from individual profiles and influencers to various brands, all creating their own AI-generated figures, much like the previous Ghibli craze.
The "box doll trend," alternatively known as the "AI Action Figure" or "Barbie Box Challenge," represents a viral social media phenomenon. In this trend, users digitally alter their photographs to produce stylized avatars that mimic collectible action figures or dolls presented within digital toy packaging.
Individuals and brands are sharing images of themselves digitally placed within toy packaging, reminiscent of dolls and superheroes on store shelves. These often feature playful accessories and taglines such as "Collectible Edition" or "Hero Mode Activated."
To add a fun, action figure aesthetic to their pictures and selfies, individuals are utilizing ChatGPT and AI image tools to create stylized portraits.
How to make your own action figure boxed doll
Sign in to your ChatGPT account. Or create one for free.
Login and upload a clear picture of yourself.
Input instruction to ChatGPT. Eg. draw an action figure. Insert a book. A laptop and a red purse.
Wait for a few minutes and your image will be ready.
Concerns surrounding the trend:
Experts concur that generative AI streamlines engagement with trends; however, they also highlight the environmental implications of its heavy usage. The growing number of people participating in this trend and employing.
Artificial intelligence systems represent an energy-intensive technology that could potentially require electricity on par with the consumption of a whole nation.
According to some estimates, a single query on ChatGPT consumes approximately ten times the energy required for a typical Google search.
Professor Gina Neff of Queen Mary University London told the BBC- “ChatGPT Barbie represents a triple threat to our privacy, our culture and our planet. While the personalisation might feel nice, these systems are putting brands and characters into a blender with no responsibility for the slop that emerges”.
Concerns regarding privacy and data misuse also exist. By uploading your image, you are knowingly sharing your data. This raises the question: is the allure of a trendy photo worth the potential hidden costs to your privacy?
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