Second Life Community Social Feeds Swamped by AI-Enhanced Images, Creating Craving for "Real" Avatar Photos

Above: Untouched raw screenshot of Yo Roo's avatar

In a virtual world dependent on highly-detailed, heavily customized avatar models, and images depicting them, what qualifies as "real"? In recent months I've noticed the social media feeds of Second Life users increasingly swamped by avatar images heavily enhanced by generative AI programs like Krea AI, Midjourney, and Leonardo AI. They're showing up in ads for avatar content, and in avatar portraits themselves.

The trend is becoming so acute, it's led longtime SL content creator Yo Roo to post a Facebook request for avatar authenticity:

Tired of seeing AI glow-ups along my entire SL Facebook feed. Yeah yeah, you look good... but honestly, everyone all kinda look the same (notice the eyes and nose always widening) 

So, ❗️TREND ALERT❗️... I'd like to see what you *really* look like in SL. No edits, definitely no AI, snap me a raw so I can appreciate your SL pixels and uniqueness in all their original glory... bonus points if I can see them ugly SL hands. (I miss them.)

Community members have already posted dozens of "candid" avatar pics in the thread.

Ironically, this backlash to AI enhancement actually echoes a prior backlash over avatar images overly enhanced by Photoshop and other editing tools. But for Roo, there's a difference between the two:

Above: Photoshop-enhanced screenshot of Yo Roo's avatar

"I think [AI enhancement is] an easier option to get top notch edits without having to do the arduous work of learning Photoshop (buying Photoshop) and becoming really experienced with it," she tells me. "I don't fault people for wanting to make their edits look realistic and using the AI enhancers, I just think you have to be honest about your work. If you use AI, then you need to source that you've used AI. You can't take credit for pushing a button on AI and getting amazing, realistic edits without citing how you got there."

She sees a danger of uncredited/unacknowledged AI enhancements degrading Second Life's creative culture:

Above: Krea AI and Photoshop-enhanced screenshot of Yo Roo's avatar

"In my opinion it harms the integrity of photography and Photoshop editing within Second Life. If you're a blogger, it can also be disingenuous to what the item you're blogging truly looks like in-world. You have to be careful with that, even with Photoshop edits. You don't change the item you're blogging, you need that to be honest so when people shop for it, they're not under any marketing guise that it's something more than it actually is.

"AI is really cool, but you have to be honest about your use with it. And I just hope it doesn't discourage people from taking and learning to edit SL pictures in Photoshop, and learning things that they can later explain exactly how they got to a cool end product. Convenience is definitely easier, but not always as rewarding."

Within Second Life's Flickr community, it's already fairly common practice to note whether or not an image was post-processed; we'll probably see similar expectations for AI-enhanced images. Or maybe someone will create a program to paradoxically detect when an avatar image isn't actually real.

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Comments

[Plainszebra Resident]

Gonna be real honest, the rampant use of AI is SUUUUPER lame. People spend so much time trying to beautify their avatar in-world but what's the point of all that if you're just gonna mask it with AI? Gets rid of the point of having your avatar in the first place.

[Techseeker]

This is such a thought-provoking article! It’s fascinating to see how the evolution of AI tools like Krea AI, Midjourney, and Leonardo AI is impacting the aesthetics and authenticity of avatar representation in Second Life. The craving for "real" avatar photos amidst the sea of AI-enhanced images really highlights the community's yearning for genuine uniqueness and individuality, which can get lost in the pursuit of polished perfection.

Yo Roo’s call for raw, unedited avatar photos is a refreshing stance that champions the originality and distinct characteristics of avatars. It’s interesting how this mirrors earlier debates over Photoshop use, but with AI, the ease of creating high-quality edits adds a new layer to the discussion on authenticity and artistic integrity.

I appreciate your insights and the way you're encouraging a healthy dialogue around the use of AI in creative expressions. Thanks for shedding light on this topic and stimulating such an engaging conversation!

[Spiffy Voxel]

How 'amusing' that the comment from Techseeker above is... an AI-generated response that pretty much regurgitates your blog post. Oh, and their 'site' appears to be another SEO clickbait farm. Sigh.

I rarely do much editing to my Second Life photos beyond maybe cropping and some colour / exposure adjustment. But that may be because I'm not on social media these days, or blogging as a job.

[Who cares]

Why does it matter? If people are doing it for fun, why do you care about what they are doing?

[Felicia Fannybottom]

Why does it matter? Well for those who read the article, it should be clear... it doesn't matter... use it for fun, use it for yourself, but if you want to repost it on social media or create a Flickr, A Flackr, or a Fu... can't say that... if you wanna post it, give credit where credit is due, that's all. Excelsior!!

[sirhc desantis]

Ser Spiffy is spot on - I think its out of the bowels of the alphabet company =^^=

I do love the worry that this AI malarkey is going to have an impact on...pshop users. Still, if people are going by blogshots etc then sobeit.

( Vague parallel - In meatspace I cook as a hobby. I see a recipe and go oooh will give that a try. I do not expect it to turn out like the enhanced photos. Well, apart from the trend that keeps coming around of serving brown stuff on brown rustic plates on a paint peeling off table - maybe a scandi thing but I digress. )

I still hold with your world - your imagination so its just another tool innit? Have fun, enjoy! Anyway, I never run in to anyone inworld that looks like all these still pictures. It is its own form.

[Robert McNay]

"I think [AI enhancement is] an easier option to get top notch edits without having to do the arduous work of learning Photoshop (buying Photoshop) and becoming really experienced with it,"
This is really why artists hate AI, it democratizes art. Average Joes can learn it. It no longer the province just a few.