Can you tell which of my headshots is AI? LinkedIn users couldn't.
· Business Insider
Rebecca Zisser/Ana Altchek
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- I asked LinkedIn users if they could tell the difference between an AI headshot and a real photo.
- The responses were fairly split, but more users said they preferred the AI version.
- Career branding experts weighed in on whether candidates should use AI in profile pics.
I cringe every time I open LinkedIn and see my profile picture — and that's because it's fake.
A few months ago, I snapped a few selfies at work for a new headshot and asked ChatGPT to extend the blue background behind me.
Despite asking it repeatedly not to edit my face, it made subtle changes. My eyes look slightly squintier, my smile a little wider, and there's a soft, airbrushed quality that makes the image feel less like me.
The original photo (left) and the AI-edited version (right), which is currently my LinkedIn profile picture.Ana Altchek
Over the following months, I found myself fixated on the picture, wondering whether others noticed that it was altered by AI. That paranoia led to another question: Was everyone else's profile picture fake, too?
In recent months, I've seen AI headshots fill my feed, promising polished professional portraits without the hassle of hiring a photographer. My editor, who had heard my complaints about my profile picture more than once, suggested I put them to the test. Which image would people prefer? Could the average viewer tell the difference?
I asked for feedback on LinkedIn
I started by testing an AI headshot generator that required uploading several photos of myself. Depending on the service, tools promise anywhere from 10 to 100 studio-quality headshots for around $30 to $100.
The results were impressive at first glance, but many images looked fake under closer scrutiny. Some backgrounds looked like green screens, proportions were slightly off, and my editor pointed out that my hair had a cartoonish quality in nearly all of them.
Rather than paying for images, I gave ChatGPT Enterprise and the free version of Gemini the same assignment.
I also asked Business Insider's art director to take a few photos of me in the office, which the art team then lightly edited and sharpened with a filter — similar to what a professional photographer might do. I uploaded that primary shot along with four or five other reference photos of my face and asked the LLMs to generate a new headshot based on those images and match the office background.
After a few additional directions, which involved me repeating the prompt multiple times, Gemini generated an image that looked strikingly close to the real deal.
Next, I posted the side-by-side photos on LinkedIn and asked people to comment on which one was real. To my surprise, the vote was close and if I updated my profile without saying anything, I doubt anyone would have questioned it.
"Right looks crisper so maybe that one? Or else it's been edited. But honestly not sure," one user commented.
In a statement to Business Insider, LinkedIn said that it allows AI to enhance or edit pictures, but that the photo "must reflect your likeness."
"We recommend being authentic in your profile picture as this helps to maintain trust," said a spokesperson, adding that it may remove profile photos that don't comply with its user agreement or professional community policies.
Should you use an AI headshot?
The more surprising result from my test was that most respondents said they preferred the AI-generated headshot, by a roughly 2:1 ratio. The AI version featured a blazer and a silk shirt, which may have made more sense for a professional platform, but I didn't expect such a disparity between the two.
"Right is more friendly, junior role, left is higher-paid more senior job," one commentator wrote, racking up 52 likes.
The head tilt in my real photo was also a major point of controversy. Most people said that the angle made the photo seem less polished. Others said it made me look more approachable, though some said that wasn't an advantage for women in a professional setting.
Vanessa Errecarte, a professor at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and a personal branding expert, told Business Insider that while people may think — and say — that they prefer the more polished headshot, behavior often suggests otherwise.
In practice, she said, consumer behavior indicates that people gravitate toward authenticity. Errecarte, who authored "Valuable & Visible: Redefining Personal Branding by Leading With Impact Over Image," pointed to research findings that consumers prefer user-generated content over traditional advertising because it feels more genuine. She also cited studies showing that influencers who openly acknowledge failures are perceived as more authentic, which increases consumers' willingness to buy.
"In marketing, we always say trust the way people behave, not what they say they're going to do," Errecarte said, adding that the phenomenon is often why political polls are wrong.
She advised against using an AI-generated headshot, or even a highly edited professional photo, if users have any alternative. Errecarte added that in today's job market, more casual headshots are more acceptable than ever. As long as you have a profile picture, most people don't care if it's professionally taken.
Amy Perrotta, founder of Needa Strategy Group LLC and a career branding advisor, told Business Insider there's nothing wrong with using an AI-generated headshot as long as it genuinely looks like the you. However, if AI alters your appearance, it can undermine trust, especially at a time when people are increasingly wary of scams.
Instead of generating an entirely new image, Perrotta recommends using AI-powered photo editing tools to make subtle improvements to an existing photo.
"Don't make yourself look like a cartoon or do something crazy to the background," Perrotta said.
Then again, if you're going to go through all the trouble, you might as well just take a photo of yourself.
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