Why spend $25 to $60 on traditional school photos when you can create your own with a little help from AI? Many parents are choosing this route today, utilizing generative AI tools like ChatGPT to produce portraits of their children instead of relying on school photographers.
Recently featured by Fast Company, parents have been sharing their success stories on social media about how AI has helped them avoid the usual costs associated with school photos. In a viral TikTok, influencer Carlie Bond showed the process: parents take a few pictures of their kids against a plain wall and then prompt ChatGPT with a request to “keep them exactly the same but make it look like a school picture.” The AI responds by adding a standardized background similar to what bulk-photo companies like Lifetouch typically produce.
“We took our own and let my good friend Chat help us out,” Bond said, adding, “honestly… I’m not mad about how they turned out.” This method clearly resonates with many, as one user commented, “ChatGPT for the win.”
Some parents have also found AI helpful for cleaning up scans of sample school photos, using it to remove watermarks that would otherwise require payment to fix. This trend further emphasizes the growing interest among parents in budget-friendly alternatives to traditional school photography.
However, using AI tools does come with ethical and privacy risks. When parents upload images of their children, those likenesses will likely be used to train future AI models. This raises concerns about ownership and potential misuse of children’s images. As noted, once those photos are uploaded, parents will never get them back.
The growing trend of parents using AI to create school photos highlights a clear trade-off between cost savings and the ethical implications of sharing children’s images online. While these tools can produce appealing results at a fraction of the traditional price, the potential for misuse and loss of control over personal likenesses remains a significant concern.
