The viral AI trend of the 1980s comes with a price

Indian Film Academy International Awards released X images of various actors remade in AI.

Have you already formed a picture of how you would be in the 80s? Did it help garner likes and comments? Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) does just that; we feel good like the high sodium content of your favorite snack. But it has its risks.

The viral AI trend of the 1980s is now a social media craze, with users fearing missing out using generative AI chatbots to recast their modern selfies as retro portraits. While cybersecurity researchers are trying to warn the public about digital security, Indian politicians are also actively normalizing the 1980s trend. The long list includes Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Kiren Rijiju, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury shared an actual magazine cover from the 1980s. Sports stars also joined in – from former cricketer Irfan Pathan to chess grandmaster Praggnanandha.

Behind the retro craze are privacy risks and environmental concerns.

Every image generated by artificial intelligence leaves a digital footprint. When users post their high-resolution images on a third-party app, it can be risky for them in the long run because users are giving away data about their faces. This in turn can be used to train face recognition models without consent.

Also Read: You forgot to tag the climate on your 1980s AI selfie

Uploading a selfie gives these platforms access to biometric data and facial geometry. 2024 saw a massive increase in cases of Deepfakes impersonating not only consumers but also public figures across the realms.

Beneath the surface lies a larger privacy issue: what happens to the data users provide to AI platforms?

ChatGPT, the most widely used generative AI tool, offers a revealing case study. OpenAI Privacy Policy states that data sharing is enabled by default for users on Free, Plus or Pro plans. This data would help train its models. The company uses a mix of information sources for training, including publicly available Internet content, information made available through partnerships, and information provided by users, vendors, and researchers.

However, users can opt out of this setting by going to Settings > Data Controls > “Enhance Model for All” and turning the setting off. This setting is cleverly set up so that many users would not know what the term “model enhancement” means.

As India’s digital engagement skyrockets, users need to be aware of the bigger picture and look at the digital risks they are taking. A global study once concluded that Indian consumers are more prone to share personal data with AI agents. AI-based biometric fraud is also possible, and India lacks a legal framework to govern the use of facial recognition systems. It should be noted that the Privacy Act of 2023 was not designed with generative artificial intelligence in mind.

All the more warming warning

Millions of users who generate images for fun may not realize that one AI image takes as much energy as charging a smartphone. A 2025 report by TRG Datacenters stated that creating an AI image will consume 3 watt-hours of electricity and release 1 gram of CO2.

In data centers, this means high costs. Compared to other types of pollution that contribute to global warming, AI image generation has a very minimal footprint. Image generation can look like nothing. All the servers are elsewhere, but artificial intelligence is also physical infrastructure and could double data center energy and water use by 2030, UN researchers said. India’s data center capacity is projected to reach nearly 6.5 GW by 2030.

Data centers don’t just use energy and water. They also generate heat. The collective environmental costs are high. Mumbai’s land surface temperature has already risen from 40.9 °C in 2003 to 47.3 °C in 2023, an increase largely due to urbanization and heat-trapping infrastructure. Chennai is also constantly emerging as a data center hub and we know how the city has heated up considerably in the last few years. Despite climate hurdles and recurring water issues, Chennai is the primary destination for data centers in India. Data centers use millions of liters of water per day, and a 100 MW data center uses about 2 million liters of water per day. This corresponds to the daily use of roughly 6,500 households.

Users must be aware that generating a single AI image requires more energy than a simple Google search. Before you upload your next selfie for retro flare, remember: the trend will fade in a week, but the carbon and privacy costs won’t.

Why is everyone going back to the 80s vibes? I’m also forced into 80’s nostalgia! pic.twitter.com/iJIg8JmZOz

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 9, 2026

I’m hoping for a trend.. #80 trendpic.twitter.com/5UBMgpvNnA

— Praggnanandhaa (@rpraggnachess) September 9, 2026

Your favorite Bollywood stars, but set it to the 80s. Old school glamour, nostalgia and glamour, whose look is your favourite? 😍🪩#IIFA#Bollywood#80. Trend#Undoing#RetroVibespic.twitter.com/ab6cvZ9amh

— IIFA (@IIFA) September 9, 2026

Time changes but love never changes!❤️😍#SunMusic#80. Trend#Dhanush#Suriya#STRpic.twitter.com/yszEYjh3aY

— Sun Music (@SunMusic) September 9, 2026

Published – 10 Sep 2026 14:53 IST