Idealized Self-Presentation through Al Avatars. A Case Study of Lensa Al

This exploratory research focuses on the perceived impact of artificial intelligence on society, specifically the transformation of presentation of self through the use of AI- enhanced selfies. We rely on a thematic content analysis of 50 posts on Instagram that represent portraits generated by the Lensa Al application, with the aim of identifying novel features of AI-mediated idealized presentations of self. Using the hashtag #lensa and following the accounts of public figures, we chose those posts that, in addition to presenting a positive version of the self, also reveal a wide range of emotions. Users remark that the Lensa Al application goes beyond the boundaries of reality, expanding its horizons to fantastic worlds that grant protagonists novel powers. Users feel that they can acquire new powerful identities, transcending conventional space-time boundaries. Last but not least, users have the possibility of presenting their stigmatized or controversial body and facial features in novel lights that elicit transformative, positive interpretations. Lensa Al offers a case study in the affordances of technology for the presentation of self and the reshaping of social identities in digital spaces.