Artificial Beauty: How AI Influencers Shape Digital Beauty Standards？

In the era of social media, the standard of beauty is increasingly influenced by digital images. With the rise of artificial intelligence, a new digital form has emerged: virtual Internet celebrities designed entirely by computers. These virtual characters usually have perfect skin, perfectly symmetrical facial features, and ideal body proportions. Therefore, virtual Internet celebrities began to redefine the appearance of "beauty" in digital culture.

Figure . Shudu virtual influencer portrait.

[Source: Shudu [@shudu.gram]. Instagram.]

The most famous example is Shudu, which is widely regarded as the world's first digital supermodel. Created by photographer Cameron-James Wilson, Shudu is a computer-generated model. She cooperates with luxury fashion brands and appears in online advertisements. Unlike traditional models, Shudu's appearance is completely artificial. Designers can create "perfect" digital beauty standards without being limited by physical conditions.

The beauty generated by artificial intelligence has raised important questions about how to construct Chinese and American standards in digital media. Some scholars have long believed that the presentation of the media plays an important role in shaping the public's perception of attraction. Research by Tiggemann and Slater (2014) shows that frequent exposure to idealized virtual images on social media will affect people's concerns about real appearance and normal body image, which is especially obvious among young people. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which place great emphasis on visual effects, will increase users' exposure to idealized images, which may potentially affect their perception of beauty and their views on their own body image (Perloff, 2014; Marengo et al., 2018). According to the research of Fardouly and Vartanian (2016), exposure to idealized images on social media websites increases users' physical dissatisfaction and stimulates them to unconsciously make appearance comparisons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kjxBd16sm4

Video. The rise of AI influencers and digital beauty.

[Source: BBC News (2024), YouTube.]

This video explores the phenomenon that virtual Internet celebrities and artificial intelligence-generated models are gradually participating in fashion promotion activities and social media marketing. It not only explains how to reflect the contemporary beauty trend by designing digital characters with idealistic characteristics, but also emphasizes the concerns brought about by the unrealistic beauty standards formed by virtual technology.

Another concern is that virtual Internet celebrities may strengthen the homogenized concept of beauty. Research in media research shows that the mainstream beauty standards in advertising often reflect narrow cultural ideas associated with youth, symmetry, and perfection(Cohen et al., 2018). The appearance image designed by the creative team is easy to repeat these existing norms, rather than

promoting cultural diversity.

Some researchers believe that artificial intelligence technology may also provide opportunities to challenge traditional standards of beauty. Because virtual Internet celebrities can represent more diverse beauty cultures, plump or slender diverse body types, skin colour differences, and different identities of people of colour. For example, some experimental digital roles are specially designed to challenge stereotypes and promote inclusiveness in the fields of fashion and advertising. However, the increasing number of artificial intelligence Internet celebrities in digital media shows that American standards are increasingly constrained by technology. Many visual ideals no longer stem from human diversity, but are generated through algorithms, design software, and marketing strategies.

In a word, the emergence and development of artificial intelligence Internet celebrities not only represent a novel marketing strategy, but it is also redefining the “beautiful” in this new generation. Besides, with the spread and development of artificial intelligence in the media industry, researchers, brands, and audiences need to pay more attention to reconsidering the impact of digital images on people’s perception of their identity, appearance, and self-worth.

Reference List

Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 1–5.

Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2014). NetGirls: The internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 47(6), 630–643.

Perloff, R. M. (2014). Social media effects on young women’s body image concerns. Sex Roles, 71(11–12), 363–377.

Cohen, R., Newton-John, T., & Slater, A. (2018).  ‘Selfie’-objectification: The role of selfies in self-objectification and disordered eating in young women. Computers in Human Behavior, 79, 68-74 

Marengo, D., Longobardi, C., Fabris, M., & Settanni, M. (2018). Highly-visual social media and internalizing symptoms in adolescence: The mediating role of body image concerns. Computers in Human Behavior, 82, 63–69.