A new AI-powered trend has taken social media by storm, with hyper-realistic digital action figures of celebrities and users flooding platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. These lifelike, plastic-style caricatures, generated through ChatGPT’s latest image tool, allow users to visualize themselves as collectible toy figures—packaged and stylized like real merchandise.
The viral content includes imaginative versions of public figures: a miniature Lionel Messi surrounded by trophies and football gear, and a toy-like Donald Trump wearing a red MAGA cap and holding a sign reading “tariffs.” Even actor Brooke Shields joined the fun, sharing a version of herself with a mini dog and a needlepoint kit to her millions of followers.
The trend rapidly gained momentum thanks to OpenAI’s free image generation tool, requiring users only to register. Millions participated by submitting their photos and receiving toy-style portraits in return, which they shared widely across social platforms.
However, the popularity has sparked serious concerns. Critics warn about the potential misuse of biometric data and the lack of clarity around how these images might be stored or used. Privacy advocates argue that submitting personal photos to generative AI systems puts user identity and digital security at risk.
The trend also revived a long-running debate over copyright. Artists criticized the use of their distinct styles—like Studio Ghibli’s—without permission, accusing AI firms of exploiting creative works without legal agreements. Despite facing multiple lawsuits in the United States, companies like OpenAI have refused to disclose which copyrighted materials were included in their AI training data.
Anaïs Loubere, founder of the Paris-based agency Digital Pipelettes, called the AI figure trend a result of breakthrough imagery tech, driven by strong personalisation features and childhood nostalgia. Marketing expert Ahlem Abidi-Barthe added that this nostalgia, coupled with ego-boosting visuals, fueled the meme-like virality.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the tool’s massive impact, boasting that the company gained a million new users within an hour of launching the feature for free. The success helped ChatGPT become the world’s most downloaded app in March, surpassing giants like TikTok and Instagram, according to Appfigures.
Yet, other experts are sounding the alarm on the environmental footprint of such technology. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet highlighted that AI image generation consumes large amounts of energy. According to the International Energy Agency, generating a single image requires significantly more power than a Google search.
There are also ethical concerns about consent, as people are uploading photos not just of themselves, but also of friends or family members—sometimes without permission.
Joe Davies of the UK-based SEO agency Fatjoe warned that this seemingly fun trend masks a deeper risk. “Your image is data, and data has value,” he said. “Most users don’t realize they may be giving away sensitive personal information.”
As the trend reaches saturation, some predict its eventual fade. “Once you’ve seen the 50th AI action figure on LinkedIn or Instagram, the novelty wears off,” Loubere concluded.
