AI-generated models are becoming increasingly common across social media and advertising, raising new questions about their potential impact on body image and unrealistic beauty standards.
The concern is particularly relevant for young people, who may already be exposed to appearance-focused content through social media algorithms. Mia Perumal, a 19-year-old Cardiff University student who has recovered from an eating disorder, said she worries AI-generated images could make unrealistic beauty ideals even harder to escape.
Perumal said she has noticed more AI-generated people with extremely thin or highly idealised appearances appearing on social media. She believes such images can be particularly concerning when younger users treat digitally created bodies as achievable real-life goals.
Research has already linked appearance-focused social media use with body dissatisfaction and eating-disorder symptoms among young people. A 2026 scoping review of 62 studies found consistent associations between social media use, body-image-focused content, body dissatisfaction, internalisation of thin ideals and disordered eating behaviours.
Earlier research has similarly identified social comparison and the internalisation of unrealistic body ideals as important pathways connecting social media exposure with body-image concerns.
However, research specifically examining the effects of AI-generated models on body image is still developing. The technology could make idealised images easier to create and distribute, but more evidence is needed to establish its direct psychological impact.
For young users, media literacy and greater awareness that AI-generated appearances may not represent real bodies could become increasingly important as synthetic content spreads online.

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