In a world where social media and artificial intelligence intersect, a new trend has emerged that’s taking the internet by storm: asking ChatGPT to roast your Instagram feed. This viral phenomenon has captured the public’s imagination, blending humor with a dash of self-deprecation, and highlighting the evolving relationship between humans and AI.
The New Trend: Roasting Your Insta
“Please roast my Insta in one paragraph,” is the prompt that’s become the gateway to a wave of brutal honesty from ChatGPT, OpenAI’s advanced language model. This trend sees users offering up their Instagram profiles—complete with screenshots or profile links—to the AI, inviting it to deliver unfiltered critiques of their social media presence. The result? A combination of humorous, sometimes harsh feedback that many users find both entertaining and revealing.
This trend recently gained traction when a member of the Dazed team, who preferred to remain anonymous, experienced a wave of brutal comments from ChatGPT about their Instagram feed. The feedback ranged from playful jabs to cutting remarks, and it was enough to bring even the most self-assured users to the brink of tears. The AI’s responses were not just funny—they were shockingly incisive, offering a mirror to the content we choose to share publicly.
So my better half did the ChatGPT roast thing on my Instagram… And I feel seen😅 pic.twitter.com/kTv4mUqYEd
— Rhys Crilley (@rhyscrilley) August 20, 2024
Why Are We Asking for AI Roasts?
So, why are people flocking to ChatGPT for these digital disses? The answer might lie in our complex relationship with technology and self-perception. There’s an uncanny sense that AI can understand us in ways we might not fully grasp ourselves. By inviting AI to critique our social media feeds, we’re engaging in a form of digital vulnerability, exposing the curated versions of our lives to a cold, algorithmic eye.
Some suggest this trend reflects a deeper, almost morbid curiosity about how machines perceive us. It’s as if we’re preparing ourselves for a future where AI plays an even larger role in our lives, whether as assistants or, more ominously, as arbiters of our personal and professional worth.
A Shift in AI Surveillance and Privacy
The rise of the roast trend also underscores our evolving attitudes toward AI surveillance. In 2024, people are increasingly comfortable with AI tools analyzing and critiquing their personal data. This acceptance is likely due to the fact that we are already living in a world where our data is constantly being collected and analyzed.
Jak Ritger, an artist and researcher, discussed this phenomenon last year, noting how people have become resigned to the fact that their digital likeness is out there and largely beyond their control. Instead of fighting this reality, many have chosen to embrace it with a sense of humor. Ritger described this attitude as “surveillance-as-a-service,” where users are aware of the privacy trade-offs but choose to find enjoyment in the interaction.
This trend fits into a broader pattern of accepting AI’s role in our lives, even when that role involves personal critique. Users are willingly handing over their data to companies like OpenAI, often for the sake of a quick laugh or a moment of self-reflection. This willingness to participate in AI-driven entertainment reflects a broader societal shift towards accepting—and even reveling in—the pervasive nature of technology.
How ChatGPT Delivers the Roasts
For those curious about how to get their Instagram feed roasted by ChatGPT, here’s a quick guide. First, navigate to the Insta Guru section of ChatGPT, where you can get advice on your social media grid, captions, and more. But the real fun begins when you ask the AI to roast your feed. Simply attach a screenshot of your Instagram profile, and let ChatGPT do its work.
The AI will analyze the content and deliver a roast that might be surprisingly on point. Whether it’s highlighting repetitive themes, overly curated aesthetics, or even a few questionable fashion choices, ChatGPT’s responses are designed to be both entertaining and brutally honest. Recent examples include witty critiques of celebrities like tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas, who shared the AI’s response to his request for a roast with his followers.
Asking ChatGPT to roast me:
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) August 19, 2024
"Stefanos Tsitsipas: the guy who spends more time philosophizing on Twitter than actually serving up a solid second serve. He’s the only player who can turn a simple changeover into a TED Talk on Greek mythology and still come back to the court with…
The Response from Users
Netizens have been responding to this trend with enthusiasm. Social media is abuzz with comments praising the humor and honesty of ChatGPT’s roasts. One user might revel in a roast that points out their “basic” travel shots and festival photos, while another might laugh at a critique of their attempts to appear sophisticated with a vinyl record and a beer.
The laughter and enjoyment users find in these roasts reveal a lighter side to the sometimes intimidating world of AI. Despite the harshness of the feedback, many see it as a form of playful interaction with the technology, rather than a serious critique of their self-worth.
Criticism and Backlash
However, not everyone is on board with the trend. Critics argue that by normalizing AI’s ability to critique and surveil, we are further entrenching ourselves in a system that exploits personal data. Independent artists and privacy advocates have voiced concerns that such trends contribute to a wider acceptance of AI surveillance and data scraping.
For instance, concerns have been raised about companies like Nvidia, which reportedly scrapes massive amounts of video content daily to train AI models. The normalization of AI scrutiny, even in a seemingly harmless context like social media roasting, is seen by some as a step towards more pervasive and potentially harmful applications of technology.
Moreover, some users who previously opposed AI in other contexts have found themselves engaging with it for amusement, raising questions about the consistency of their stance. The paradox of enjoying AI’s playful critiques while condemning its more serious uses highlights the complex and sometimes contradictory ways we interact with technology.
Looking Ahead
Will this trend of asking AI to roast our Instagram feeds continue? Given the nature of viral phenomena, it’s likely that people will find new and creative ways to interact with AI, whether through humorous roasts or other forms of engagement. As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s clear that our relationship with it will remain dynamic and multifaceted.
Ultimately, while ChatGPT’s roasts offer a moment of levity, they also reflect a deeper acceptance of AI’s role in our lives. Whether we view these interactions as harmless fun or a sign of a more troubling trend, they underscore the growing integration of artificial intelligence into our daily routines. As we navigate this evolving landscape, it’s worth considering both the humorous and the serious implications of our interactions with AI.