What to know before using AI to turn yourself into a Barbie doll or action figure

TAMPA, Fla. - Turning yourself into a Barbie or action figure with AI has taken over social media – but experts say you should think twice before hitting "generate." 

"What’s really interesting about the trends that are happening right now with ChatGPT, like the Barbie trend or the action figure trend, is that it’s actually a useful exercise for people in learning how to communicate with the machine," said AI expert Dr. Jill Schiefelbein. 

Alongside the fun, however, comes some legal risk.

What they're saying:

"A whole lot of legal issues," warned attorney Charles Gallagher. "Copyright, trademark, privacy, security. You need to do your homework before you create a cool action figure." 

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Using brand names like "Barbie" in AI-generated images could land you in hot water. 

"Mattel has been known to pretty actively enforce protections against their marks," Gallagher said. "Having a Barbie logo on your action figure would probably be something you don’t want to have." 

Instead, experts recommend using generic terms or altered versions. If you share the image online, make it clear that AI helped create it. 

"There’s a lot of gray areas," Schiefelbein said. "So the best bet is to make sure that you disclose that you’ve used generative AI." 

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Gallagher said that uploading personal photos or details is no different from any other platform in the metaverse.

Big picture view:

"Just be prudent and be thoughtful about what you put out there," Gallagher said. 

With a few precautions, you can enjoy the trend safely.

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