A playful trend sweeping social media – users generating AI caricatures of themselves through platforms like ChatGPT – is attracting attention not just for its creative output, but also for the potential privacy risks it presents. What began as a lighthearted way to visualize oneself in a profession or hobby is now prompting cybersecurity experts to warn about the surprisingly revealing nature of the data being shared.
The Rise of the AI Caricature
The trend involves users prompting AI, most notably ChatGPT, to create a caricature or illustration based on their lives and work. In some cases, users are even asking the AI to base the image on “everything it knows” about them. The resulting images, often shared widely on platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok, depict users in their professional environments, incorporating elements that reflect their careers, lifestyles, and hobbies.
To achieve a more personalized result, many users include detailed information in their prompts, such as their job title, company, city of residence, daily routines, and hobbies. Some are even uploading images containing corporate logos, identification badges, computer screens, or identifiable office spaces.
The appeal lies in the novelty of seeing everyday photos transformed into quirky avatars, often with prompts that highlight jobs, hobbies, or personal quirks. However, the level of detail that makes the images engaging also introduces potential vulnerabilities.
Hidden Risks in a Playful Trend
According to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, providing specific data on digital platforms can facilitate the construction of fraudulent profiles or the design of more sophisticated cyberattacks. When a user shares information about their job, location, routines, or family, they are offering elements that can be exploited for malicious purposes.
This information can be used to create highly personalized phishing emails, impersonate individuals on social media, design corporate fraud schemes mimicking employees or executives, or even carry out extortion attempts using real information to build trust with the victim. A Kaspersky study indicates that nearly one in four users in Mexico struggle to identify fake emails or messages, increasing the likelihood of success for fraudsters who possess accurate personal data.
Beyond the immediate risk of phishing and identity theft, experts warn that allowing AI platforms access to personal information without carefully reviewing their privacy policies can lead to uncertainty about how that data is stored, processed, and potentially reused. The long-term implications of repeatedly feeding personal details into AI models are only beginning to be understood.
Protecting Yourself While Participating
Cybersecurity specialists recommend several precautions before participating in this type of trend. The most important advice is to avoid including personally identifiable information in prompts. This includes full names, job titles, company names, cities, addresses, schedules, or routines.
Users should also refrain from uploading images that display logos, credentials, official documents, vehicle license plates, or screens containing sensitive information. Sharing photographs or data of minors is also strongly discouraged. Avoiding the sharing of family details that could be used to impersonate loved ones or commit emotional fraud is also crucial.
Before interacting with any AI platform, it’s advisable to consult its privacy policy and review the permissions requested. Activating two-factor authentication on digital accounts and limiting public information on social media are also recommended steps to enhance online security.
The ChatGPT caricature trend highlights a broader issue: the normalization of data sharing in the age of generative AI. While the immediate output may seem harmless, the cumulative effect of repeatedly providing personal details to AI models could have unforeseen consequences. As AI-driven image trends continue to evolve, users must remain vigilant about protecting their privacy and understanding the potential risks involved.
