These days, artificial intelligence (AI) is all the buzz. While AI can be a wonderful and efficient creative tool for a host of industries — and may seem like a convenient and cost-effective alternative to hiring a professional photographer for your portrait — AI headshots come with many drawbacks that will ultimately harm your personal brand and professional credibility. Here’s why relying on AI for your business headshots may not be the best idea.
1. Lack of Authenticity
A business headshot is more than just a picture—it’s a representation of you and your personal brand. It’s pretty easy to spot an AI generated headshot; it will have an unnatural smoothness and symmetry that looks completely artificial. This lack of authenticity can will raise questions about your credibility and force potential clients, employers or business partners to question whether or not they’re dealing with an authentic human being. In the world of business, trust is everything; AI-generated images may create skepticism amongst the people with whom you want to work.
2. Ethical and Legal Concerns
Using AI-generated headshots also brings up ethical and legal issues. Many AI platforms use databases of living people’s images to train their algorithms, without the consent of those involved. This raises all kinds of concerns about data privacy. Furthermore, if your AI-generated headshot is based on a picture of a living person, you could run into legal trouble if they claim their identity was used without permission.
3. Potential for Inconsistency and Errors
AI-generated images are far from perfect. AI-created headshots usually have noticeable errors such as unnatural lighting, mismatched facial features or distorted backgrounds. These imperfections can make the image look completely unrealistic, again leading your cohort of business colleagues, employers and clients to see you as inauthentic. A high-quality, professionally taken headshot ensures that you present yourself in the best possible light, free from any of those problems.
The Value of a Professional Photographer
Investing in a professional headshot photographer ensures that you receive high-quality images that reflect your professionalism and personality. A real photographer can provide guidance on angles, lighting and expressions that best suit your industry and personal style. AI-generated headshots cannot replicate the expertise and creativity that a skilled photographer brings to the table.
Michael Verity is a Portland, OR-based photographer specializing in professional headshots and modeling portfolios. The husband of an acting coach and father of two young adult actors, he’s been photographing successful actors, models and creatives and business professionals for more than a decade.