Plastic, fantastic ... and potentially litigious: AI Barbie goes from dollhouse to courtroom
By Sara H. Jodka, Reuters, May 7, 2025
You may have seen the viral "AI Barbie" phenomenon where users create AI-generated images, videos, and avatars inspired by Barbie's signature look — think pink aesthetic, makeup, glamorous outfits and accessories, and a plastic-fantastic vibe.
To participate, people upload photos of themselves using AI tools or apps such as their LinkedIn headshot and TikTok filters. They then prompt the AI tool with what they want it to generate, including the items the person wants to appear with their doll, such as clothing and accessories, job, type of packaging to use, and anything else they can think of.
The AI tool then transforms the user into a "Barbie-fied" doll version of themselves, often accompanied by humorous or aspirational captions like "this Barbie is a Privacy Lawyer," and with the requested clothing and accessories, such as a suit, laptop, copy of the EU AI Act.
The mashup of AI and Barbiecore has spread like wildfire across social media platforms. However, beneath the surface of this frothy pink trend lies a complex web of legal questions spanning data privacy, copyright, AI governance, energy, and more.
