Written in collaboration with Micole Abdelhak

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become the unexpected architect of beauty standards, subtly redefining our self-image through the filters we apply to our digital selves. From Snapchat’s transformative lenses to Instagram’s flattering enhancements, AI-powered beauty filters are not just changing how we look but also shaping how we see ourselves and others. This post delves into the influence of these digital tools on our self-perception, attitudes toward cosmetic enhancements, and mental health.

Beauty filters are digital tools that leverage AI and augmented reality to modify one’s appearance in real-time. These filters, now ubiquitous across social media platforms and photo-editing apps, range from the dramatic to the discreet, such as the “Touch-up My Appearance” feature on Zoom. They use AI algorithms to map facial features, superimposing enhancements like smoothed skin, contoured face shapes, and resized eyes and lips. Trained on extensive facial image data sets, AI can recognize a plethora of face shapes, skin tones, and expressions, customizing enhancements to create an often idealized portrayal of the user.

Snapchat’s research shows more than 90 percent of young people in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom use filters. Similarly, Meta reports that more than 600 million people have interacted with filters on Facebook or Instagram. Zoom users have also embraced the feature, with their 2.2 million users having access to the platform’s appearance touch-ups. These tools are designed to polish one’s digital presentation, by altering skin tone, resizing facial features, and brightening smiles. But, beyond cosmetic play, what drives users to these filters?

The Dove Self-Esteem Project in 2020 found an alarming trend: 80 percent of girls had used an app or filter to change their appearance by age 13, and 94 percent of young women reported........

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