Have you already generated an image of how you’d have been in the 1980s? Did it help garner likes and comments? Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) does just that; it makes us feel good like a high sodium content in your favourite snack. But it comes with its own risks.
The viral 80s AI trend is now a social media craze where users, for the fear of missing out, use generative AI chatbots to reimagine their modern selfies as retro portraits. Indian politicians are also actively normalising the 80s trend While cyber security researchers scramble to warn the public about digital safety. The long list includes Union Ministers Piyush Goyal , Kiren Rijiju, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma . Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury shared a real 1980s magazine cover of herself. Sportstars too joined in — from former cricketer Irfan Pathan to chess Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa. Every AI generated image leaves a digital footprint. When users post high-resolution images of themselves on a third party app, this might be risky for them on the long run where users are giving away their face data. This might in turn be used in training facial recognition models without consent. When India’s digital engagement is soaring, users need to be made aware of the bigger picture and look at the digital risks they are taking. A global study once concluded that Indian consumers are more prone to sharing personal information with AI agents. AI-based biometric scams are also possible and there is a lack of legal framework to govern the usage of facial recognition systems in India. Millions of users generating images for fun, may not be aware of the fact that one AI image takes up as much energy as charging a smartphone. What users need to be made aware of, is that generating a single AI image requires more energy than a simple Google search. Before you upload that next selfie for a retro glow-up, remember: the trend fades in a week, but the carbon and privacy costs don’t.
It is to be noted that the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, was not drafted with generative AI in mind. A report by TRG Datacenters in 2025 said creating an AI image uses 3 watt-hours of electricity and releases 1 gram of CO2.
