Reinventing the Self:

How AI-Generated Portraiture Influences Identity Representation

Master Thesis by Raphaela Pichler
 

In my master’s thesis, Reinventing the Self, I explore how AI-generated portraiture influences identity representation and how this emerging technology reshapes the way we perceive and present ourselves.
 

As a professional photographer, I was immediately intrigued by a technology that could produce images almost indistinguishable from photographs. So I began exploring how it might be used to portray real people. My goal was to understand how and why we might represent real identities through AI-generated images—and what this medium could add to existing forms of visual representation.
To do this, I trained custom AI-models and tested them using image material from actual individuals who had consented to participate in the study.

This practical engagement, paired with theoretical reflection, led me to the central question:
In what ways does AI-generated portraiture influence identity representation?
 

Through a historical lens—spanning classical portraiture, the rise of the selfie, and the evolution of nude imagery—I investigate how technological shifts shape self-perception and representation. The thesis also critically examines the role of training datasets, algorithmic bias, and the aesthetics of AI-generated representations, particularly in the context of nudity and consent.
 

Key questions explored include
How will we use this technology to represent ourselves and others?
What impact will this have on our physical existence as we integrate AI-generated aesthetic trends into our lives?
Can an AI-generated nude representation serve as a form of disguise rather than exposure in the digital age?
 

Drawing from my experience of 20 years in photographic portraiture, this research combines visual analysis, a participant-based image generation study, interviews, and critical discourse to reflect on how AI is fundamentally altering the relationship between identity, narrative, and representation.