Generative AI is a hot topic. AI headshots are one of a long list of generative AI that could make our lives easier.

First impressions

Your headshot is the first thing potential clients, employers, or business partners will likely see. So why do so many people have terrible headshots? There are many factors. Expense. Scheduling. Nerves. The list goes on. But what if I told you that you could now get your picture made without leaving your office? Welcome to the stage, AI headshots. In this article, I will dive into why you need a headshot, how AI headshots work, their issues, and if I recommend them.

Virtual handshake

You might be thinking, why do I need a headshot? Well, the first thing people see and look for on your profile is your headshot. This is your virtual handshake. If you don't have one, that's an automatic "red flag" to the viewer. So having a recent and decent headshot is important to ensure that it represents you in the best possible way so that people feel comfortable connecting with you. This goes for those looking for jobs, doing business, and everyone in between.

The most important part of your profile is also the least likely to be changed or updated regularly: it's what others see when they look at your page for the first time and decide whether or not they want to keep reading (or even look at) anything else on there. This means that if someone doesn't like what they see in those photos, they'll move on quickly rather than sticking around to find out more about what makes this person different from all other profiles on LinkedIn.

How we look has always been important in how people perceive us - but our online presence has made it even more so: You need a headshot that reflects who you are as an individual while also conveying the right message about whom you want to become professionally.

How do AI headshots work?

AI headshots are an image that uses artificial intelligence to create a realistic composite of someone from other photos of that person. They are helpful for people who want a headshot without hiring a photographer but still want professional-looking pictures.

The basic premise is that you upload your random selfies, and a generator spits out high-quality headshots while watching a Netflix show and stuffing your face. No scheduling. No hair and makeup. No awkward posing. Inexpensive and fast.

As for the technical side, I'll leave that to the smarter folks to explain to you. Comment below if you know. But basically, an app analyzes your face from photos you upload using facial recognition software. Then it creates a composite image based on data points such as age range, gender identification, and user skin tone preferences. It's DEFINITELY much more complicated than this.

I tested three apps to see how well this would work for me, Headshot Pro, Try it on AI, and Secta AI.

The process

A sampling of the options Headshot Pro offers.

Pick your style. I chose styles that best reflect my personality. They have lots of options for clothing and backgrounds. Most of the scenes were outside, but they also have options for studio lighting and setup, which is interesting. Though a dated approach, it could make sense for someone.

Upload selfies. I uploaded 20+ selfies to the platform. I added a variety to give the software the most optimal opportunities to create good options. They recommend taking the selfies against a plain background, with good lighting and no facial expressions. I selected my ethnicity (Hispanic) and eye color (Brown).

Generate and wait. From this, the generator will create over 120+ professional headshots. The AI will use advanced algorithms to optimize each photo for lighting, focus, and color, resulting in stunning images. Pricing varies between $17-40 for each submission. After waiting 24-48 hours, you can browse the generated headshots and select your favorites. I chose twenty that worked for me, then downloaded high-resolution photos. These images are usable because they look close enough to my appearance.

A few of the images Headshot Pro gave me.

The good: Impressive technology

I intentionally ran the tests with different types of photos of me to see what would give me the best result. As you can see, these are realistic for the most part. I noticed that the software had difficulty matching my nose to the face, but I only expected to have a couple of good options.

Some of the best options each platform generated.

The bad: AI bias

My husband says these don't look like me. His words, "Maybe in your 20's." This brings up another interesting point. The AI bias problem. My issues with the images:

Age: I look 25 in every shot. While I am flattered, that makes many images unusable as I inch closer to 40.
Body type: I look skinny in every photo. I'm naturally curvier.
Eye color: Because my hair is naturally lighter, the algorithm decided I was supposed to have blue eyes, even on the platforms that allow you to select the eye color.

AI is trained on data sets that are not diverse, and this can lead to AI systems being biased against certain groups of people. For example: if an algorithm has been trained on data from a predominantly white male workforce, it may export those features more often on people of color, leading to less accurate imagery. Similarly, suppose an algorithm has been trained on images primarily featuring young people and middle-aged adults (as opposed to older adults). In that case, recognizing older faces may make them appear more youthful.

The ugly: Unusable images

I look crazy in most of the generated photos. There were more terrible photos than good ones that didn't look anything like me.

A few of the notable, unusable generative photos.

Ranking the Apps: Winner is Headshot Pro!

Of the three, Headshot Pro was the best and worth the money. Try it on AI was great too, but most options looked different from me. Secta AI Labs is a waste of money because none of the images look close to me, and not even a little. Keep reading to see.

Headshot Pro: This app produces beautiful renderings I could edit to look more like me. It gave me several options I could use for a headshot. The downside is that you will look younger and skinnier. Who doesn't want that, though??? This is going to be more of an aesthetic vibe versus studio photography.
TryItOn AI: I had a hard time finding any images that resembled me. I was either too skinny, or the hair color didn't match.
Secta AI: Womp womp. This one disappointed me. I had difficulty finding a good composite, and the images were not high-resolution enough to edit.

So, should you get an AI headshot?

A headshot of me generated by Try It On AI

Would I recommend an AI headshot? Yes and no. It's fun to see how AI reads your face. However, I would only recommend this if you have some pretty good Photoshop skills. It will be a waste of money because you'll end up with 100 photos you can use.

Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, so we must learn how to use it in a way that benefits us all.

How will AI make our lives easier (or harder) in the future? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

I also made a video about my experience!

Ash Serrano is a marketer with nearly 15 years of in-house and agency experience and a knack for creating engaging written and creative content that performs. She has worked with major brands like Amazon, discovery+, Gensler, HGTV, Hulu, KPMG, Pizza Hut, Sugarbear Hair, Synovus, and the Kardashians. She specializes in executive personal branding, creative direction, and influencer marketing. She also owns a career services company, Fairy Career Mother, geared toward getting more women of color into leadership positions.

Generative AI: Need a new headshot? Maybe AI can help!