A new AI photo editing app, Epik, has taken social media by storm. Not only does it have the basic photo editing tools such as the ability to adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation, but it also has some unique filters. The most popular features are the 90’s throwback and yearbook AI technology. This take several of your selfies and generates a 90’s or yearbook version of you, portraying school stereotypes such as a jock, nerd, athlete, or popular kid.

Many TikTok users have used the app to produce photos of them and share them on their accounts. However, this technology comes with a cost. When people began using the yearbook feature, the images generated photos with unrealistic body types. The concept of AI making everyone appear skinny in photos has raised concerns related to body image issues and unrealistic beauty standards. Teens have already seen a drastic increase in eating disorders due to social media and the frequent use of editing by famous influencers. In fact, of adolescents with eating disorders, the 17- to 18-year-old age group has the highest rate (3%) as of 2023. With other AI editing apps on the rise like Epik, it will undoubtably affect the way adolescents view themselves— especially since teens of today are so susceptible to following trends. Therefore, users should keep in mind that they aren’t creating unrealistic standards when editing and posting their photos as authentic.

There is no specific reason that the app is set to make everyone look exactly the same, but it would be so much better if they could include more size options. This would ensure that every body type is represented equally and nobody is forced to fall for unrealistic standards. Overall, the app can be really beneficial for editing and creating fun pictures, but they should come out with options to be more inclusive.