Experts warn of privacy risks in viral 1980s AI photo trend

The viral trend of creating 1980s-style AI photos using ChatGPT has raised privacy concerns, experts say. Multiple sources caution that uploading personal photos and details to AI platforms can lead to data being stored and used beyond users’ control. The warnings come amid a surge in popularity of retro AI-generated images.

Experts note that every time such AI trends emerge, people often join in quickly without questioning the potential risks behind them. When users upload photos and personal information to chatbots like ChatGPT, this data is stored and used to train AI models, with unclear long-term implications. The current craze for AI caricatures encourages users to share detailed personal and professional information, effectively training AI systems with highly personal data.

While creating ChatGPT caricatures may seem harmless and fun, experts warn that this behaviour normalises sharing sensitive data without fully considering how it might be used or retained. Uploaded content can be copied, reposted, or scraped beyond its original context and control. ChatGPT’s privacy policy explicitly states that personal data input by users is collected to improve AI models, even when users have not included sensitive details such as addresses or IDs.

The surge in AI-generated 1980s photos, including styles inspired by Kerala or Mumbai festive nostalgia, has made this issue more visible. Users are advised to be cautious about the information they share with AI tools, as the data contributes to training models for everyone but may also pose privacy risks.