With AI tools, users can erase physical imperfections with the click of a button, creating the perfect professional headshot. The creative liberties that many of these tools take in altering appearances, however, leave many questioning the morality of the practice. In an article for The Washington Post, Olivier Toubia, Glaubinger Professor of Business, joined other AI experts in discussing the newest AI headshot craze. Toubia, who has contributed to previous articles about AI for CBS Moneywatch, Quartz, Marketplace, and Quirks, explained how some industries might perceive the use of an AI-generated headshot. “If you’re the type of person who was willing to completely edit your image or how you looked, maybe you lied on your GPA or your credentials,” Toubia said.
Read more about how professionals can determine whether or not to use an AI-generated headshot.
Mentioned Faculty

Olivier Toubia
- Glaubinger Professor of Business
- Marketing Division
Olivier Toubia is the Glaubinger Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. His research focuses primarily on innovation, customer insights, and creative industries. Specifically, he combines methods from social sciences and data science in order to study human processes such as motivation, choice, and creativity. He previously served as the Editor-in-Chief at the journal Marketing Science. He teaches Foundations of Innovation, Generative AI for Business and the core marketing course. He received his MS in Operations Research and PhD in Marketing from MIT.