What do AI headshots tell us about our values?

Observing the recent influx of headshots built by AI tools, I have noticed a preference toward certain physical attributes and styles. We may not be comfortable saying what we think a “professional” looks like, but our AI models are now speaking for us. One of the existential challenges of AI is that it forces us to codify of ethics explicitly. When we select our headshot from an AI-generated menu of choices, we are providing human reinforcement learning for the model. The model is simply reflecting our own choices and values.

“Clear is kind” is a phrase I often hear around performance management and delivering tough messages. I think that applies here as well. Executive Presence 2.0 by Sylvia Ann Hewett is one of the few places where I have seen an honest take on what appearance and behaviors we associate with leadership. We might tout inclusivity, but the data says otherwise.

Are AI-generated headshots more inclusive because anyone can present themselves in an “optimal” way? Are they bad because they further reinforce traditional images of what someone should look like in a given role? What level of altering your appearance is still authentically you?

These questions are hard enough to answer when we are making decisions about ourselves. But what about when someone else makes that decision for us? You might be less than thrilled to see yourself presented in a professional setting by a model trained to generate Instagram likes.

These are just a few of the many tough questions we will need to decide in the near future. We are already deciding with our actions today.