The $39 AI headshot may cost you a new job

It may seem like a good deal, but more and more companies and recruiters are pushing back against AI generated headshots – and not disclosing you used AI for your headshot for your resume is not that different from falsifying your LinkedIn profile, at least in some recruiters minds.

For many individuals and businesses, $39 for a headshot that looks better than a selfie is almost too good to pass up – not only does it potentially save hundreds of dollars, but it’s easier, less disruptive, and since many people would rather have root canal vs. having their picture taken, there’s that.

But while a Ringover survey of over 1K recruiters showed that most preferred an AI generated headshot (vs. that selfie), the same study showed that 66% would have a negative view of the candidate if they found out the image was AI generated but not disclosed as such. And while you may think that the recruiter will never know, what happens when you meet them in person or on a zoom call and you just don’t look like the headshot you provided them?

Businesses are starting to take notice – in financial services, where compliance, trust, and full disclosure is paramount., firms are starting to prohibit AI generated images in anything client facing. Similarly, Bar Associations have published guidance and ethics rules pertaining to misrepresentation by AI generated headshots. In healthcare where trust is also paramount, directories of providers are now requiring real headshots. And the U.S. State Department has issued warnings that images on government ID's that have been altered by AI constitute a “national security concern”

And surveys done by Getty Images found that 90% of consumers want to know if an image was created using AI, and over 95% said that authentic images are a key for establishing trust. Think about your own reaction if you’ve ever seen what appear to be fake or AI generated images of people on a business website – they don’t look real, and so what does that say about the business and its people.

Research has shown that when someone looks at your image, an initial impression is formed is as little as 80 msec – that initial impression includes elements of trust, approachability and feelings of whether the photo looks real. Real, professional headshots combine the elements of lighting and composition with a real expression (even if posed) – and while it may be difficult to quantify exactly what makes a headshot look real or fake, the feeling is there.

The reason for this is that the algorithm is just that – computer code – it’s looking at potentially tens of thousands (or more) images and averaging the look of your skin, facial expression, body position/language to some sort of mathematically derived result. But it’s not you.

These issues are further complicated for headshots of your team – AI generated headshots may create different lighting, color temperature, or other edits for each of the photographs. Each image is submitted individually, and the algorithm is creating different variations of each image. Contrast that with headshots done by a professional headshot photographer, where the lighting, background, color temperature, etc.. is all consistent. They all look like they were shot by the same photographer at the same time – and for team headshots consistency is key!

As an individual looking for a job with your headshot on your LinkedIn Profile, or a solopreneur using your headshot on your business card, website or email signature block do really want to run the risk that someone will get an uneasy feeling looking at your image? Or if you’re a business showing headshots of your team, do you want potential clients feel like the images of your team look a bit “off”?

Suddenly that $39 doesn’t look like much of a bargain….