A new social media trend is turning people into cartoon versions of themselves — and it seems the internet can’t get enough of it.
On platforms like X and Instagram, users post AI-generated caricatures created with ChatGPT, often accompanied by captions marveling at how accurately the images reflect their professions, hobbies and even personality quirks.
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The viral challenge behind the trend is deceptively simple: “Create a caricature of me and my work based on everything you know about me.”
Result? Stylized portraits that not only exaggerate facial features but also create elaborate backgrounds. Screens full of code, graphics or editing software. Books with strangely specific titles. National flags. Coffee mugs. Fantasy football statistics. In many cases, the cartoon appears to refer to personal information from previous conversations, giving users the mysterious impression that the AI will actually “get” them.
Why does it catch on?
Cartoon apps have been around for years. What sets this trend apart is the personalized layer. Instead of simply turning a selfie into a caricature, the tool includes context from a user’s chat history — at least when accessed through their account.
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This turn caused fascination. To some, it looks like a playful demonstration of how generative AI can synthesize scattered pieces of data into a coherent story about who they are.
But there is also irony at play.
Enthusiasm for this trend is accompanied by lingering concerns about data privacy and digital footprints. The same feature that makes cartoons feel personal — the AI’s ability to recall context — is also what makes some users uneasy. The question is no longer just whether the AI can draw you, but how much it remembers about you.
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How users create their own
To join this trend, users log into their OpenAI account so that the AI can refer to the previous context of the chat to get a more customized result. They usually upload a clear, well-lit picture of themselves and then edit the prompt with details about their profession, daily routine or interests.
Many experiment with tone—asking for something dramatic, funny, or corporate—and tweak the instructions until the output feels right. Once they are satisfied, they download and share the image online.
Bored of the cartoon trend? Here’s what to try instead
AI image fads have a short lifespan. What’s fresh one week can start to look the same the next week. If the wave of caricatures seems overwhelming, here are some alternative challenges to push your creativity further – whether you’re using ChatGPT or another image generation tool.
Inside my brain
Instead of asking for a portrait, ask AI to visualize your mental workspace.
“Generate a very detailed photo of what you imagine my desk looks like right now. Fill it with clues about my work and my bad habits.”
This works best if you share enough context about your routine or profession. The more specific the data, the more layered the picture.
Ultra-realistic image
You can double down on realism and ask the tool to blur the line between imagination and documentary-style photography.
“Generate a very detailed photo of what you imagine my desk looks like right now. Fill it with clues about my work and my bad habits.”
The appeal here lies in the subtle storytelling—coffee stains, sticky notes, unfinished projects—details that suggest personality rather than cartoonish exaggeration.
Future predictor
Turn the lens forward instead of inward.
“Create a retro-futuristic 1950s magazine cover that predicts what my life will be like in 2050 based on my current trajectory.”
This style mixes nostalgia with speculation, often leading to dramatic results.
Your spirit animal
Go beyond self-portraits and let AI interpret you symbolically.
“Creating a hybrid creature that is my ‘spirit animal’ combines elements of my work style and lifestyle into one animal.”
The result can be playful, surreal outputs – part profession, part personality, all imaginative.