As We Are – Challenging AI beauty standards
Communication Design Project by:
Mariia Orr, Diamond Sledge, Larissa Moraes, Seoyeon Hong
Advisors Concept & Prototyping:
Prof. Henrik Rieß, Felix Müller, M.A., Anc Ciechanowicz, M.A.
Advisors Graphic Design
Barbora Demovič, M.A., Anna Bernhardt, B.A.
Research Question:
How can realistic female skin textures be normalized in the tech-driven field of AI?
Recent data shows 94 % feel pressured by beauty standards, harming self-esteem. Generative AI, using altered images, worsens this pursuit of perfection and body shaming, especially for young women. 'AsWeAre' is a prototypical AI stock service for designers and marketers, featuring portraits trained on real women with authentic skin textures. It offers an advanced AI photo generator and AI-generated photo stock.
The project was developed using AI-powered coding on Google Colab to train the model for generating images that include 6 frequent skin conditions, such as acne, wrinkles, or rosacea, to break the cycle of unrealistic beauty expectations in AI-generated stock material. The generated photos portray women of various ages, colors, and skin conditions in natural and relatable settings.
By challenging existing narratives and working towards the normalization of real skin, 'AsWeAre' hopes to offer a more diverse and genuine representation of women and promote an inclusive visual culture.
'AsWeAre' was exhibited at Berlin Design Week 2024.
See all ‘Punk & Participation’ Projects
See all ‘Punk & Participation’ Projects
Contact:
Prof. Henrik Rieß
Interaction Design and Visual Communication
Berlin International
University of Applied Sciences
Salzufer 6, 10587 Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49 30 81 05 80 80
E-Mail: riess[🎈]berlin-international.de
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