“Life in plastic, it’s fantastic,” Barbie croons. Just how fantastic? It seems plenty of flesh-and-blood internet users are finding out by hopping on a trend that turns people into AI-generated action figures with box art, personalized mini accessories and more.
The viral craze picked up after OpenAI launched its new ChatGPT image generator, powered by GPT-40, quickly attracting scores of users eager to experiment with the function.
Creating a toy version of yourself or anyone else (that includes pets, yup), works like this: Log in to ChatGPT, upload a photo, add a text prompt describing your ideal action figure, and voila — you’re boxed and ready for toy-store shelves (or, more likely, Instagram).
Plenty of the action figures flooding social media represent everyday people curious to see how they look miniaturized and in plastic. But, unsurprisingly in today’s polarized times, some have turned them into vehicles for biting social commentary — creating AI-generated figurines of President Trump, Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, plus people like “eco-left protester,” “pro-life doctor” and Liverpool fan (hey, I’m just the messenger, soccer devotees). Want to see some of the more politically charged ones? Search “AI action figure” on X.
Athletes, tech executives and historical figures are getting turned into action figures, as are characters from pop culture — a Seinfeld fan account on X has posted action figures of Jerry (white sneakers and puffy pirate shirt included), Elaine, George, Kramer, Newman and J. Peterman.
Brands and public agencies have jumped on the meme, and on LinkedIn, action figures have become a cheeky new way to tout professional strengths.
The action figures come on the heels of another wildly popular trend that followed the launch of the ChatGPT image generator. It saw users creating images in the style of Japanese anime house Studio Ghibli, a move some considered ironic given Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki’s own dedication to human artistry.
How to Make Your Own AI Action Figure
Once you’re logged in to ChapGPT (if you don’t have an account, it’s easy to create one), upload a photo or photos of yourself in the chatbox. If you just have headshots, ChatGPT will assign you a body, so more accuracy, try adding a full-body image.
Add a prompt. More details mean a more customized figure. A commenter on the Instagram account chatgptricks shared the below detailed template that can be tweaked according to your action figure vision. You can, for example, stipulate the color of the cardboard backing and add items that reflect your personality and interests (a basketball, a guitar, a yoga mat, books, gardening tools).
This Prompt Can Be A Starting Point
A picture of a collectible action figure titled “[FIGURE NAME]” in a sealed plastic blister pack on a cardboard backing. The figure is posed confidently inside the transparent plastic shell, surrounded by three accessories that reflect their personality or career. The character is wearing [OUTFIT DESCRIPTION] and has a [FACIAL EXPRESSION] expression. The packaging features a [COLOR SCHEME OR PATTERN] background with bold letters at the top displaying the name “[FIGURE NAME]” and the subtitle “ACTION FIGURE” beneath it. The visual style is playful, minimal and toy-like, with smooth surfaces and soft lighting that mimics the look of real plastic.
Note that it will take the tool a couple of minutes to generate your action figure. I tried making a few, including one of my cat Jetson Higgs Boson, who — given his delightfully kinetic and annoyingly destructive tendencies — was born for the role.
My cat, Jetson Higgs Boson, is now an action figure coming to destroy your carpet too.
