Move over fashion filters — 2025’s AI obsessions are wilder than ever.
From Pokémon cards in the ’90s to AI-generated toy replicas of ourselves in 2025, the internet’s obsession with self-transformation has reached a bizarre, delightful new height. The latest viral AI trends sweeping platforms like TikTok, X, and Instagram are turning people into collectible figures — and even more strangely, transforming beloved pets into fully human characters. Yes, it’s as surreal as it sounds.
Become Your Own Action Figure
Using advanced AI image generators, users are uploading their selfies and receiving back hyper-stylized photos of themselves as action figures. These digital toys come complete with plastic blister packaging, dramatic poses, and even fictional abilities or accessories.
A trending prompt reads: “Create a toy of a person based on the photo. Let it be a collectible action figure. The figure should be placed inside a clear blister pack, in front of a backing card.”
Some creators are even taking it a step further, animating these figures being ‘unboxed’ using AI-powered video tools. The result? A surreal, gamified version of your identity ready for likes and shares.
See how one user animated their action figure creation — a toy-to-life transformation powered by KlingAI and ChatGPT.
When Pets Become People
If you thought the toy version of yourself was strange, wait until you see your cat as a grumpy old man. Another AI trend that’s gone viral is the so-called “pet humanizer.” Users are submitting photos of their pets to AI platforms and requesting them reimagined as humans — no fur, snouts, or tails, just a personality-focused human portrait.
One widely shared prompt instructs: “Transform this animal into a human character, removing all animal features while preserving its personality and recognizable traits.”
The output has ranged from charming to downright unsettling. Internet users have reported their AI-fied pets looking like everything from slobby uncles to Victorian-era children. As one Redditor aptly put it: “Oh god, queue the next week of people turning their pets into people posts. SAVE ME.”
Even Creative Bloq’s Natalie Fear gave it a shot, calling her AI-generated human-cat a “weird slobby man.”
From Ghibli Craze to AI Overload
These new trends come in the wake of the Studio Ghibli-style AI image boom, which overwhelmed OpenAI’s servers and triggered a public plea from CEO Sam Altman for users to ease up on image generation. As generative AI tools become more accessible and user-friendly, social media is increasingly becoming a playground for creative, and sometimes eerie, self-expression.
Notably, these trends are riding the wave of AI integrations across everyday platforms. With tools that let users upload and manipulate images directly from their phones, the barriers to entry for AI creativity are essentially gone. This democratization of AI tech is also fueling developments in enterprise and healthcare applications — like Sharp HealthCare’s AI-powered documentation system.
What’s Next in the AI Craze?
With AI-generated imagery becoming faster and more convincing, the possibilities are endless. Will we start seeing AI-crafted family albums featuring human-pet hybrids? Will people roleplay their action figure avatars online? The line between reality and digital self could blur even further.
For now, it’s all fun and games — until your dog’s human counterpart starts showing up in your dreams. Whether you’re crafting your own action figure or giving your tabby a human identity, one thing’s certain: AI creativity has fully entered the mainstream.
Ready to Join the Craze?
If you want to dive into the trend, all you need is a photo, a prompt, and a willingness to see yourself (or your pet) in a whole new light. Just don’t be surprised when your AI-generated alter ego gets more likes than your real self.
