The background music is sombre as a downcast brunette films herself eating fried chicken in a car, her dirty backseat visible only in the background. Her acne is noticeable and her body is hidden by an oversized jumper. The text that appears throughout the video is:Gonzo [point of view]:You were never big-boned.”.
Then suddenly I felt joy! There are plenty of photos of her slender waist and glowing skin taken from inside the gym! Our girls are walking around town in activewear with an enviable tan. It’s the epitome of Western beauty goals that fit perfectly everywhere. The words this time are:you lacked discipline”.
It’s a well-known arc, a transformation scene depicted in many 1990s romantic comedies. Women fail to look or act a certain way, and then find redemption and reward by meeting mind-boggling standards of thinness, sexuality, and submissiveness, whether it’s in the form of men, money, or (ideally) both. Only this time, the running time is compressed to 30 seconds or less instead of 90 minutes. Moreover, I didn’t actively buy tickets for this movie.
Everyone is clicking…
“Glow up” and “weight loss” makeover content is currently rampant on social media, leaning into the classic “new year, new you” rhetoric that capitalism spreads every January. Frictionless “befores” and “afters” are quickly racking up millions of views on our For You page, whether we like it or not. However, as content creator and body confidence advocate Danae Mercer recently pointed out to her followers, many of these videos aren’t real. These ambitious “women” are generated by AI and are having a profound impact on both our psyches and, in some cases, our bank balances.
“I definitely did it. do not have At first I realized they were AI,” Mercer said. Cosmopolitan UKdoubly alarming given her specialty is debunking and dissecting online content related to worrying beauty ideals. “I actually liked the first two or three films because a lot of them were about women going through difficult times, like breakups, and coming out of it stronger and better.”
Mercer said the algorithm quickly recognized these interactions and began serving up videos of the identity kit at a steady pace, raising doubts about its authenticity. She says the videos followed similar patterns and storylines, and many of the “afters” were eerily similar. The human aspect of going through emotional and physical transformation, the real blood, sweat, and tears, was completely missing.
If you look closely, it becomes clear that many of the accounts creating these transformation videos (and tons of content that says, “Look how great my life is now that I’m thin and gorgeous!”) are newly created and only share posts like this one. [idealistically] Many sites also have OnlyFans pages (also made up of AI photos and videos) and self-introduction links to “healthy” supplements and training programs.
Some even make it transparent that they are AI-generated, encouraging those who stumble onto their pages to create their own AI avatars in order to “make money while you sleep” by building a brand around a non-existent model (including visible abs and uniformly straight teeth). Why bother working hard and promoting yourself, they plead, when you can pay £102 for an AI marketing course and have an AI girl teach you, when you could definitely, definitely become a millionaire? probably?
“When I started checking the captions, [I realised they were all] Similar generic one-liners like ‘Baby Gonna Grow’ and ‘Will you love me?'” Mercer added, noting that accounts often follow each other.[It was] It’s just an AI slop. ”
when Cosmopolitan UK When we dug into this further, it was clear that some of these AIs were “interacting” with each other and leaving comments like “How did you clear your skin?” It adds an extra layer of authenticity and further promotes some sort of miraculous stain-fading treatment.
“That’s what concerns me the most. They’re absolutely exploiting women’s insecurities to sell products,” Mercer recalled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few guys behind hundreds of accounts.”
This video is generated by AI.
But these accounts are more than just worrying, as they claim to generate a large amount of revenue through inauthentic ads. It once again exploits the very harmful idea that women’s bodies are a problem to be solved, and that not “fixing” skin or weight issues is a moral failing. It’s something that directly contributes to your wealth and happiness (this is all very reminiscent of Andrew Tate’s ill-fated Hustlers University course aimed at insecure young people).
Even if you’re an AI woman, you can’t seem to escape the insane expectations of the real world. So how can you find your lean wisely so you don’t constantly absorb this dangerous message completely unconsciously?
How to spot the signs
James Buckley-Thorpe, a serial entrepreneur with a long-standing interest in helping businesses leverage AI, agrees that it’s harder than ever. Signals that were useless a few months ago, such as a subtle extra finger or misshapen tooth, are no longer reliable.
The danger, he says, no longer lies in obvious technical mistakes, but in how convincingly these descriptions can reproduce human emotions and behavior. “Don’t look for defects, look for problems. feel Buckley Thorpe advises: Face a little too smooth under the changing light. Glasses, jewelry, and eye reflections differ from natural behavior. Please listen carefully. AI voices can sound convincing, but they often lack real breath, warmth, and emotional variation. ”
The change is another nail in social media’s coffin, as users will have to play detective while navigating a sea of shite (what has been called the “encityization” of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which are mired in hyper-manipulated content). Time spent on these apps can be a big factor. Steady decline from 2022while doing digital detox and Janalogue (logging off in January) Millennials and Gen Z will be in trouble by 2026.
If you’re trying to master a sloppy social site, it’s a good idea to look at your account as a whole, not just the one post that shows up in your feed. Does this seemingly perfect person have tagged photos with their friends, preferably dating back several years before the AI explosion? Does the content feel very sophisticated, or is it purely designed to be consumed rather than shared? Do they just feel like, well, bland robots?
“If a video is just looking for attention rather than participation, it’s worth asking why,” points out Buckley-Thorpe. “Yet, AI transformation videos are more than just eye candy and are quickly becoming one of the smartest sales tools on social media.
“AI influencers are successful because they can deliver aspiration without disrupting the real world. The formula is simple: stop the scroll with a dramatic glow or a calm persona, build emotional trust, then quietly monetize. The product is often not obvious at first. [it can be] E-books, fitness plans, paid communities, and more. It’s effective because it doesn’t feel like an advertisement. ”
And what impact is it having on our mental health when we see this never-ending stream of slick content subtly reinforcing the belief that our own efforts are “not good enough” and trying to sell us solutions? According to Natalie Mason, a lecturer in psychology at Arden University, nothing good can come of it, especially for young women and girls.
“The rise of fake AI-transformed videos is creating a new wave of challenges to our self-esteem and confidence,” she says. Cosmopolitan UK. “At first glance, these videos may seem inspirational, but they can set unrealistic expectations, especially when it comes to how we view ourselves.”
Our brains are hardwired to compare ourselves to others, Mason explains.
“However, in today’s world, where we are constantly bombarded with before and after makeover videos and curated social media feeds, this natural tendency can backfire. Considering A.I. [is] The impact on our self-esteem can be even greater if we produce results that are completely unattainable. Social media algorithms also work to show you more videos the longer you engage with them, which can have a negative impact on your self-esteem and confidence. ”
Mason advises making a conscious effort to replace doom scrolling with activities that foster well-being. “Arden University’s the study We found that 35% of people say taking care of their mental health is one of the best ways to improve their self-confidence. Whether it’s journaling, meditating, or simply stepping away from your phone, these small acts of self-care can make a big difference in how you feel about yourself.
“Setting limits for screen time can also help you move away from destructive cycles of scrolling and into more beneficial activities.” And remember, real growth happens in small, consistent steps, Mason adds. “It’s not going to be a dramatic overnight change.”
Chances are, this boom in AI-transforming content will only grow, and perhaps even invade your feeds even more. It may feel novel, but sadly the idea of flogging women’s shame is not.
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*The lead image in this article was not generated by AI, but was designed to represent the weight loss and gym coded content discussed in this article.
Jennifer Sabin is Cosmopolitan UK’s award-winning features editor and was named Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues that matter most to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royal family and more, using her valuable connections to access the best experts. She has thoroughly researched everyone from big politicians to A-list celebrities, and has meticulously interviewed hundreds of people about their real-life stories. Additionally, Jennifer is widely known for her undercover work and campaigning work, including successfully petitioning governments for change on topics such as abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is a published author, documentary consultant (she helped create the BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron of YES, a youth support charity. In addition to Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and moderated panels such as the Women of the World Festival and the University of Manchester. In her free time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick and leopard print, and she over-orders for dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram. × Or LinkedIn.
