Artificial intelligence drives retro photo trends and advanced editing

Artificial intelligence is driving significant trends in digital imagery, ranging from nostalgic social media filters to advanced photo editing tools. On Instagram, a retro-style AI trend has gained over 5 million users, allowing people to transform selfies into 1980s-style portraits featuring era-specific hairstyles and aesthetics. This trend taps into a collective nostalgia for the visual markers of the decade.

Celebrity engagement with AI-generated aesthetics is also notable. German presenter Barbara Schöneberger recently drew attention on Instagram by sharing a photo where she remarked, “I look like I was created with AI. But it’s real!”

On the technical side, new AI-driven software like Aiarty Image Matting is making complex editing tasks easier. These tools use image matting technology to automatically isolate subjects from backgrounds, even handling difficult details like fine hair or semi-transparent fabrics, which previously required manual precision.