AI Profile Pictures for Privacy: Uses And Best Practices
An AI avatar generator provides all the tools you need to create your own avatar, whether you'd like a perfect profile picture that mimics your best-ever photo, want to create an alter-ego or mascot for a business page, or require an avatar that looks like a completely unique individual.
From a privacy perspective, avatars are an easy way to protect your identity from unwanted intrusion or exposure online. They can also augment safety for people who may need to safeguard against harassment, stalking, or being identified in real life–for example, when a person is responsible for managing a live chat or social media feed on behalf of a government department.
In this article, we’ll explore the varied uses for the photorealistic, imaginary, 3D, or 2D avatars you can build with the best AI avatar apps–as well as tips for recommended best practices.
How to Use an AI Avatar as a Profile Picture Online
We’ll start with the obvious question for anybody new to AI artwork generation–what is an AI avatar? In short, an avatar is a digital person, profile, or image. You can use that graphic in place of a photo or headshot in multiple online settings.
‘AI’ stands for ‘artificial intelligence,’ the model that creates your image based on the presets, specifications, or instructions you provide. There is no prescribed way to create an avatar, so this might look like a cartoon version of you, use your facial shape and features, or be a self-representation of what you might look like in a fictional land.
If you spend any time using social media platforms, networking channels, or online forums, you’ll have likely seen AI avatars in many places:
- As social media profile pictures
- In place of an author photo within a bio
- For chatbots and as a digital customer service representative
- Within AI, creative graphics and artwork
- In games and advertising
An avatar can also incorporate extra features, be able to speak or respond to prompts or enquiries, and mimic movement patterns or facial expressions.
Best Practice Tips for Your AI Avatar
When we consider the right way to use an avatar responsibly, much depends on the setting or environment you are using and who or what the avatar is representing. If you want an avatar for use on your private social media channels, for example, you can use these pretty much as you wish, provided your avatar complies with the platform's rules and policies.
However, there are some good standards to consider when you are developing or editing an AI avatar. These include:
- Images should be in a high enough resolution so the avatar is clear and visible; downloading a low-res graphic will mean your avatar is blurry or indistinctive.
- Avatars should never be used to communicate views that could be deemed insensitive or unethical. Most platforms won't allow an avatar that is intended to cause negativity or that is deemed explicit or inappropriate, in the same way that they prohibit photos of this nature.
It’s also wise to consider how you’ll use your avatar going forward. You might, for instance, need several digital copies of your avatar that are formatted correctly for each channel or platform you use.
Using an AI-Generated Avatar for Professional Communications
Guidelines for avatars differ for business uses as the key goal is normally to present your image in an informal, memorable, and engaging way–people may respond better to an avatar that appears welcoming and friendly in favour of a corporate headshot. The primary purpose of an avatar might be to act as a customisable alternative to an image of a real-life person or to provide virtual context for a digital chatbot.
An avatar used in a professional environment that is intended to represent you should be close enough to your features that a person would be able to recognise you in person. You can also build an avatar that makes sense for the setting, opting for a full-height avatar for a graphic showing your team or an avatar headshot as a small thumbnail image next to your bio.
Adding a background or colour that is consistent with your channel or brand and thinking about the details within your image is also useful, where you can leverage the customisation of an avatar to create a graphic that is instantly recognisable and conforms to your clients’ expectations.