Why the ChatGPT Caricature Trend Raises Privacy Questions

A new trend on social media has users asking ChatGPT to generate caricatures of themselves and their work or hobbies, often with strikingly detailed results.

While the images have proven popular, cybersecurity and privacy experts are urging users to consider what information they are sharing to produce them.

To generate these caricatures, users typically provide personal details, professional information, and sometimes photographs. Experts note that when initial results fall short, users often add even more context to improve accuracy, increasing the amount of personal data fed into generative AI systems. Once shared, this information may be stored, analyzed, and used in ways that are not always fully transparent to users.

Privacy specialists also warn that images and personal details posted online can be copied, reposted, or scraped beyond their original context, limiting user control. While OpenAI says ChatGPT relies on content actively provided by users and offers settings to manage memory and data retention, critics argue that many people join viral trends without reviewing these options or understanding how their data may be used.