When conversations about artificial intelligence come up, the risks are often front and center.
People worry about scammers using AI to copy their voice to trick family members, or about likenesses being stolen and repurposed in inappropriate ways. The fear is real: what happens when technology can convincingly imitate you?
One TikToker thinks she’s found a built-in safeguard, and it comes down to her tattoos.
Woman says AI can’t recreate her likeness, for one simple reason
TikTok creator Ashleigh (@thatrealtor) shared a short clip explaining why she doesn’t stress as much about AI “twins.”
Her video, which has over 12,800 views, makes the case that tattoos can throw AI off in ways that are easy to spot.
“Something I don't see people talking about enough when it comes to AI,” she begins, “is how having tattoos helps prevent people from making a successful AI twin of you.”
She says that while image generators will sometimes give her a “half sleeve,” the attempt is sloppy.
“The detail of it is such a dead giveaway that it is not me,” she explains, adding that she considers it “a fun benefit of having a tattoo.”
@thatrealtor Tattoo elitism ftw #tattoos #ai #tattoo
♬ original sound - Ashleigh
In the caption, she doubled down with some humor: “Tattoo elitism ftw.”
Are other users reporting the same?
Ashleigh isn’t alone. Other social media users have also noticed that AI tends to stumble when it comes to body art. Tattoos often come out smudged, too generic, or completely mismatched from the real thing.
That said, some people point out that the more images of someone you feed into an AI model, the more likely it is to approximate the design correctly. In other words, the technology could catch up—it just isn’t perfect yet.
Commenters are convinced
In the comments, plenty of viewers found Ashleigh’s point convincing, with some joking about booking their next tattoo appointment immediately.
“BRB getting more tattoos,” one person wrote. Another added, “I’ve also noticed those AI things never seem to get heavily pierced people’s facial piercings right.”
Others saw it as a form of protection they hadn’t considered. “I’m getting very serious about a face tattoo,” one viewer joked. Someone else chimed in: “I’m covered in so many moles, freckles, and birthmarks on top of my tattoos. AI will never accurately guess all of them.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Ashleigh for comment.
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