Let’s Think Outside the Box (Literally)
What Brands Can Learn from the ChatGPT Action Figure Trend.
You couldn’t scroll social media this week without running into AI-generated action figures — quirky, boxed versions of everyday people, turned into glossy digital dolls.
It’s a mix of cringe, cute, and commodified fantasy — and while the backlash brews, the appeal is clear: personalization that feels playful, shareable, and seen.
For individuals, it’s fun.
“It’s kind of cool to see yourself reflected in a cartoon form,” speaking to the Seattle Times, fitness trainer Suzie Geria mused. “I think we’re looking at other ways to see ourselves in the world we live in, which is very much online.”
For marketers?
It’s the kind of UGC “personalization” that most brands dream of. In fact, the action figure craze almost certainly drove more buzz for ChatGPT than its polished Super Bowl ad.
But for brands, jumping on trends like this comes with risk. Move too slowly and you miss the moment. Miss the tone and you risk seeming inauthentic — or worse, tone-deaf in an already complicated conversation around AI.
So, should brands “get in the box”?
Only if they can do it with speed, self-awareness, and a clear sense of why AI content might delight or infuriate their social followers.
For some, an AI action figure is the kind of scroll-stopper that brings a smile and a little escape from the everyday. Consider depicting your followers’ interests, rather than just making a doll of yourself.
For others, all use of AI generates sustainability concerns. Others may feel that it’s in poor taste to favor AI content over human creators. Even though they controversially allow AI art listings, don’t expect to see AI action figures on Etsy’s social feed any time ever.
Then there’s the me-too-ness of it all.
Social media pundit Rachel Karten asks, “how does your brand stand out when everyone is posting the same thing?”
In the fleeting window of time before we achieve what Karten calls “cringe critical mass”, can you find a creative way to think outside the trend’s much-replicated box?
If the answer’s no, this might be one trend better watched than mimicked.