Grandma slop is tearing families apart
The use of generative AI to manipulate family photos and create 'AI slop' is causing friction within families and raising privacy concerns. Parents are increasingly worried about how AI companies use images of their children and the potential for misuse of personal data.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing cultural tension between the casual, well-intentioned use of AI tools and the serious privacy and ethical risks associated with training models on personal data.
A Getty stock photograph of two children put through ChatGPT with the prompt "Turn this image into Polar Express Christmas special." Getty Images; ChatGPT Alyssa Powell/BI When Ben Metcalfe recently visited his grandparents, he was greeted by an AI-generated caricature of one of their family photos hanging on the kitchen wall. "I understand that there was good intention behind doing it," says Metcalfe, a Gen Zer who works in AI governance. "At the same time, it's a major privacy concern." Jen, a 32-year-old mom, tells me that last Christmas her mom texted her a series of adorable images: Jen's two toddlers sitting in Santa's lap, then riding the Polar Express. Their cheeks were fuller than she knew them to be, their eyes glossier, the lighting pristine — all thanks to Grok, xAI's chatbot. "It's so cute. And I want to love it," she tells me.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in