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The AI action figure trend has taken the internet by storm, with users scrambling to transform themselves and major celebrities into plastic collector toys.
Donald Trump , Elon Musk and Keir Starmer are among the public figures that have emerged as shiny miniature dolls in the name of Barbiecore.
Barbiecore is the term used to describe an aesthetic that celebrates pink, playful and hyper feminine outfits or accessories, emulating the style of the original Barbie doll .
The trend sees people feed a prompt and a high resolution image to ChatGPT – a generative artificial intelligence chatbot – which then does the legwork to produce the action figure.
In classic 80s fashion, the figurine comes with a title, realistic packaging and personality-led accessories.
And while it may look technically advanced, creating your own action figure is actually fairly simple.
All you’ll need is a full-length photo, an idea of the accessories you’d like to include, and access to ChatGPT.
The Elon Musk doll is paired with a Tesla car and a SpaceX rocket while his presidential pal Donald Trump is armed with stacks of cash and a golf club against a stars and stripes background.
Although the figures have an uncanny look – the usual clue that AI generation is at play – many are eerily close to the real model.
Prince Harry ‘s plastic counterpart, dressed ready for a horse ride, even comes with red arm hair and faint forehead wrinkles.
UK politicians have not evaded this latest trend, which follows on from the 90s yearbook craze and the art filter that converts images into the style of Studio Ghibli.
Reform leader Nigel Farage comes with an unfortunate milkshake accessory, a glance back at the milkshake-hurling incident of June, 2024.
And Sir Keir, dressed elegantly in a suit, is accessorised with a cat and (presumably gifted) concert tickets while his Chancellor Rachel Reeves is surrounded by money.
Beloved characters have also been immortalised in AI doll form, among them James Bond, Percy Pig, Mr Bean and Walter White of the hit series Breaking Bad.
Jules Winnfield of Pulp Fiction, played by Samuel L Jackson, has also been turned into a doll, as well as Del Boy of Only Fools And Horses and Blake Lively’s character on Gossip Girl – Serena Van Der Woodsen.
A host of football greats have been transformed for the sports fans, chief among them Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Erling Haaland, Mo Salah and England’s Harry Kane.
Singer Ariana Grande is decorated with her signature high ponytail and bunny ears.
And, in a more retro take on the trend, Taylor Swift has been turned into a fashionable ‘Galactic Muse’ astronaut.
The Royal Mail, Asda and the NHS have even got involved.
Here’s how you can jump on board the trend and turn yourself into a collector’s toy.
How to try the action figure trend
1. Open ChatGPT
To begin, simply visit ChatGPT.com on your browser or use the ChatGPT mobile app.
2. Upload a photo
Choose a high-resolution photo of yourself.
If you want your action figure to capture your full outfit and accessories, it’s best to opt for a full-body image.
3. Write a clear prompt
To create your doll, make sure you give ChatGPT a clear description of what you want, including packaging, accessories, and box colour.
For example, you could write something like:
Turn this person into a realistic action figure inside plastic packaging like a collector’s doll.
The doll should be smiling and standing in an upright position.
Add a nameplate at the top reading [insert name] and include accessories on the side like a water bottle, iPhone, flower crown, and pogo stick.
Use a pink background to highlight the figure, and make sure it looks just like me.
4. Review and adjust your image
If it doesn’t appear immediately, don’t panic – the image may take several minutes to load.
Once it has been generated, take a look and see if you’d like any changes.
Happy with your action figure? Click the arrow in the bottom right to download it and share across social media.
Two of this year’s Celebrity Big Brother stars Mickey Rourke and Jojo Siwa can be seen power posing as their AI selves.
Australian singer Dannii Minogue, American actress Brooke Shields and Oasis’s Liam Gallagher all have their own figurines.
But as seemingly innocuous as this trend appears, it and generative AI systems more broadly have garnered criticism for their harmful impact on the environment.
In order to power generative AI models, huge amounts of water and electricity are needed.
The electricity is used to run the machines and the water is vital in cooling them down.
And this particular action figure trend has also raised concerns that copyrighted data might have been used to create the technology which generates images without paying for them.
The social media trend raises the broader question of the ethical and environmental impacts of generative AI, and just how little everyday users know about its consequences.
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