Creating an AI generated selfie was a revealing experience because it shifted self-representation from something I control to something I negotiate. Instead of simply depicting how I see myself, the AI interpreted my identity through visual systems designed to categorize, analyze, and monitor. Using AI to create this image did not resemble taking a selfie, instead it felt like submitting myself to a set of technological filters that framed who I am and how I should be seen.
The prompt I used focused on surveillance and mediation rather than realism. Phrases such as “fragmented reflections,” “security camera angles,” and “facial recognition boxes” significantly shaped the final image. The AI responded by placing my face within multiple frames and overlays, emphasizing observation and fragmentation rather than individuality. Despite this, I also requested some personal aspects of my identity to be included in the selfie, including the subject having blonde, wavy hair and green eyes. These prompt choices revealed how specific language activates broader cultural narratives embedded in AI systems — particularly those tied to surveillance, data collection, and visibility. The resulting image makes the mechanisms of representation visible, rather than hiding them behind aesthetic polish.
While the AI-generated selfie resembles me visually, it does not fully align with my self-perception. Instead, it reflects how I am often rendered by systems that prioritize legibility over complexity. The image feels distant and slightly unsettling, which mirrors my discomfort with being constantly observed and interpreted through digital platforms. In this way, the selfie functions less as a personal mirror and more as a commentary on how identity is constructed and constrained by algorithmic processes. Ultimately, the project highlighted that AI self-representation is never neutral — it tells a story shaped as much by power and technology as by the self it claims to depict.
Hi Peris! Great work! I really like how you explained your process of creating this AI-generated selfie. Particularily, I admire how you described the process of using technological filters, in order to create a perception of yourself! I completely agree with the fact that the process was not like taking a slefie at all. While I was creating my AI-generated selfie, I mostly used prompts that described my personal chracteristics, rather than my physical attributes. However, I also found that my AI-generated selfie reflected my physical attributes, more so than my personality. This was interesting, as I providing many prompts that included my interests and priorities. As AI is a powerful tool, I felt as thugh my AI creation was lacking in this aspect.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed how you explained that you focused on surveillance and mediation, rathert than realism. Your explanation of how the prompts given reaveled the way specifiv language activates broader cultural narratives imbedded in AI systems was extremely insightful. This speaks to the power and capabilities of AI, and how it has evolved over the years. I beleive that AI can be used as a helpful tool in the workplace, as long as it is monitered by humans, to insure a lack of inaccuracies. Additionally, I finf it important to note that although AI is very useful, it still lacks the attributes such as emotion and character that people have, making it difficult for AI to prduce content that holds emotional weight.
Overall, amazing post!