AI headshots are changing the way job seekers are seen and get hired

AI photos have become popular on LinkedIn and in professional portfolios as job seekers look for affordable profile photos to give them an edge.

Since first impressions happen almost entirely through a screen, a clean, attractive photo is just as important as a strong resume. And in a competitive job market, a good shot can make a big difference. But professional photography has long been a financial barrier for many job applicants with the average starting cost for a professional photo in the United States which can easily reach into the hundreds of dollars.

Job seekers are now using fast, inexpensive AI tools to replace expensive studio sessions.

“When I was at Yale, the price for a 15-minute session for students was $200,” said Melanie Fan, head of growth at Plush, an AI-powered online search platform for personal shopping. “It was really expensive. The process of restoring the photos, viewing them, looking at which ones looked best in them, and then sending them back to the photographer to edit.”

This frustration has given rise to AI photography tools like InstaHeadshots, PhotoPacksAI, HeadshotPro, and Aragon AI, services that promise professional photos in minutes that start at less than $50. Users simply upload selfies, choose a background, and receive dozens of them, no photographer needed.

“After I changed my LinkedIn photo, the volume of messages from companies increased dramatically,” Fan said. “Three to four times as many messages from companies.”

Design company Canva recently launched its own company AI headshot featurewith the goal of offering users a quick way to create realistic headshots while still refining or redesigning them.

according to A recent job market research report from Canva88% of job seekers believe a polished digital presence influences hiring decisions, which is 45% more than the previous year. This is in line with a general rise in the use of AI as part of the application and hiring process, with 90% of hiring managers saying they have used AI to assist in the hiring process, and 96% of job seekers who have used AI in the application process saying they have received responses.

Danny Wu, head of AI products at Canva, said the goal wasn’t to replace real photography, but to make high-quality images accessible to everyone regardless of budget or location. Once a user uploads an image, Canva can use AI to adjust or change the background, place something in a different location, and style it. “This is just an accessible way to get professional, unique photos,” Wu said.

Risks and questions about authenticity among HR recruiters

Anyone with a phone can have a photo ready to use on LinkedIn, but the rapid adoption of technology has created new questions about ethics and trust. Many candidates fear looking fake or disingenuous, and recruiters look for AI-generated images that look smooth or overly stylized, saying authenticity is most important.

“Using an AI headshot is seen as risky,” said Sam Dimas, a career expert at ZipRecruiter. “Even though recruiters accept them, a bad AI-generated headshot will turn off most recruiters,” Dimas said. “An AI-generated headshot is easy to recognize poorly, read as inauthentic, and can hurt a candidate’s chances of being selected.”

However, recruiters struggle to know if a headshot has been produced by AI, and the technology will only improve. “It is becoming more and more difficult to know whether a headshot has been enhanced or created by artificial intelligence,” Dimas added.

Chris Bora, founder and lead AI engineer at Bora Labs and a former Meta engineer, said he built his own headshot generator, Nova Headshot, after becoming disillusioned with existing options. “Some made me look taller and skinnier,” Bora said. “Others made me look lighter, so it wasn’t really me,” he said. “You don’t need to spend thousands to look professional anymore. You just need a tool that makes you look like yourself on your best day. With Nova, it takes less than ten minutes,” Bora said.

Amber Collins, a user of AI headshots, said she still feels uncomfortable about it, especially since not all apps do it right. “There are a lot of bad apps out there,” Collins said. “Seven fingers, half a necklace, and the rest is gone from your neck,” Collins said. “I feel guilty using AI. There’s a stigma. I’d 100 percent prefer real headshots.”

But ultimately, she says, the benefits outweigh the risks. “In this economy, you have to be mindful of where you’re putting your money. I don’t need to show my face excessively, but getting a few good, solid, professional-looking pictures is worth it to me,” Collins said.

Wu said the goal of job applicants looking for a selfie should be to use Canva’s tool to balance realism and creativity without losing their identity.

The tension between technological innovation and accessibility on the one hand, and authenticity on the other, will remain.

A LinkedIn spokesperson told CNBC that although the platform allows for the use of tools, including artificial intelligence, to enhance or create profile photos, the photo “should reflect your appearance.”

“Profile photos that do not match User Agreement or Professional community policies “It may be removed,” a LinkedIn spokesperson said.

DeMase noted that many job candidates are still hesitant to use an AI-powered headshot. “The headshot is one of the few places you can bring humanity into your job search,” he said.

But with job seekers now able to present the look that they’ve had access to the same studio lighting, camera and editing team as the professionals, the trend is unlikely to stop.

A recent study found that Use of head shots among job seekers It is highest among Generation Z and Millennial generations. While recruiters may say they still prefer real photos, AI photos have become harder to spot and are less likely to be reviewed by humans in the early stages of the application process. A Recent study HR trade group SHRM found that 66% of HR professionals use AI to create their job descriptions, and 44% use the technology to review or screen applicants’ resumes.