After Ghibli, ChatGPT Barbie dolls are taking over social media: What's this trend?

From the whimsical charm of Studio Ghibli-style AI portraits to the glossy plastic glamour of Barbie dolls, the internet’s fascination with AI-generated self-representations has taken another creative turn.

Social media users are now transforming themselves into AI-generated Barbie dolls — a trend that combines nostalgia, tech novelty and hyper-personal branding, all powered by ChatGPT.

What the AI barbie trend is

The AI Barbie trend involves users turning themselves into life-like action figures, styled in the iconic Barbie doll aesthetic.

With the help of ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities, people upload photos and receive custom “Barbie” versions of themselves — complete with themed outfits, accessories, and personalised box packaging that mimic vintage Barbie ads from the 1990s and 2000s.

💫 During National Assistant Principals Week, Legacy – Glendale jumped on the #BarbieBoxChallenge trend to spotlight two of their very own limited edition leaders!#BarbieBoxChallenge #AssistantPrincipalsWeek #ThankAnAP #APWeek2025 #SchoolLeadershipMatters pic.twitter.com/9trDkA7v4K

— Legacy Traditional Schools (@LTSDistrict) April 11, 2025

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Some individuals design dolls to reflect their profession, hobbies, or even their sense of humour, often including props like laptops, coffee cups, pets or gym gear.

Let’s Go! 📦🧍‍♀️⭐#ChatGPT #Barbiecore #Boxdolltrend #boxdoll #Toyactionfigure #trend #AI #Barbiebox #challenge #barbieboxchallenge pic.twitter.com/epHceGTNuW

— SpencerArcade (@SpencerArcade) April 11, 2025

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The dolls are then displayed in glossy, AI-generated boxes featuring names, taglines, and other stylised elements that give them a commercial toy-store look.

Introducing our league of extraordinary problem-solvers! These #AI-generated action figures symbolize the real-life heroes dedicated to safeguarding our water and environment. Which one’s your favorite? Drop their superhero name in the comments! #ActionFigures #BarbieBoxChallenge pic.twitter.com/3bFDH049NZ

— Woodard & Curran (@woodardcurran) April 11, 2025

While the origin of the movement is hard to pin down, it gained momentum in early 2025 and has been spreading across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok.

Hashtags like #aibarbie and #BarbieBoxChallenge are driving the trend, with thousands of creators showcasing their plastic alter-egos.

How it works

To join the trend, users need to log into ChatGPT and use its image generation tool (available with GPT-4o and the right access level).

I hopped onto the ChatGPT AI Barbie trend to issue a public announcement:

*DALL-E scrapes artists' images without paying copyright.

*The original image had no wrinkles, rendering older women invisible.

*ChatGPT uses 10x more energy than a Google search. #BarbieBoxChallenge pic.twitter.com/etucZX6drj

— Tracey Spicer AM GAICD (@TraceySpicer) April 10, 2025

A photo is uploaded — preferably a full-body, high-resolution one — and accompanied by a specific prompt instructing the AI to generate a “realistic action figure (Barbie doll)” of the person in the image.

The prompt usually includes details such as:

• The person’s name (to be displayed on the box)

• Desired accessories (like a book, handbag, or even a pet)

• The box design (including colour and slogans)

Creators often refine the result by giving ChatGPT additional directions until they get a doll that matches their vision. Users can continue editing their Barbie until the final version reflects their unique personality.

How the gimmick turned into mass appeal

The trend originally picked up steam on LinkedIn, where professionals and marketers shared their “AI Action Figure” images — often accessorised with tools of their trade like coffee mugs and laptops.

I always wanted to be a Barbie, check out my new Barbie AI ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/x9m82sZHNh

— Dia🪷 (@practiceselfluv) April 8, 2025

However, the aesthetic soon evolved from workplace figurines to fully Barbie-inspired makeovers, tapping into the ongoing popularity of Barbiecore.

Ok so whilst doom scrolling on the interweb, I noticed a trend of people creating Barbie doll versions of themselves using ChatGPT.

It struggled with my face a bit, but made me laugh so much that I thought I'd share it with you guys! pic.twitter.com/LsgihGPzKQ

— Tube Mapper - Luke Agbaimoni (@tubemapper) April 11, 2025

While the Barbie version of the AI action figure hasn’t reached the viral heights of the Ghibli art trend, it has attracted attention for its kitschy, nostalgic charm.

Jumping on the viral AI doll trend. Barbie and Ken who? pic.twitter.com/VRWafJvVSj

— The Henry Bible (@TheHenryBible) April 10, 2025

“The Barbiecore aesthetic’s lasting appeal is expanded upon by the most recent wave of AI art creation,” one report noted.

I asked AI to turn me into a Barbie doll and the results are pretty fun! 💚 #barbie #tracykissbarbie pic.twitter.com/LDJ3SXf3Vo

— Tracy Kiss 🌎 (@misstracykiss) April 9, 2025

Some brands like Mac Cosmetics and NYX have participated in the trend, though notable celebrities have largely stayed away — with a few exceptions.

“The Congresswoman MTG Starter Kit If I was a doll,” wrote Republican representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in a post featuring her own Barbie doll version.

The Congresswoman MTG Starter Kit ✨
If I was a doll!
I love all my accessories, including my Bible and gavel for DOGE Committee chair! pic.twitter.com/2fEWYH1Ubt

— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) April 10, 2025

“I love all my accessories, including my Bible and gavel for DOGE Committee chair!”

ChatGPT’s image tools behind the trend

The rise of the AI Barbie trend coincided with the debut of GPT-4o’s image generation feature, which saw record user engagement across the ChatGPT platform.

So many people tried the tool that OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, asked users to “please chill,” citing server overloads due to “melting GPUs.”

can yall please chill on generating images this is insane our team needs sleep

— Sam Altman (@sama) March 30, 2025

“OpenAI usage has gone nuts over the past month,” Altman wrote in early April, as daily active users soared past 150 million.

“…biblical demand, i have never seen anything like it,” he added on X.

The new tool’s ability to generate everything from cartoons to logos — and now hyper-detailed action figures — has been a driving force behind the explosion of creative content like AI Barbies.

With inputs from agencies