The digital age is transforming how we view representation, and a recent event has shown just how powerful this shift can be. The crowning of the first Miss AI, Kenza Layli, an AI-generated Moroccan lifestyle influencer, marks a significant milestone — not just for DEI within technology, but for the Muslim community as a whole. This is not just about celebrating an AI marvel; it is a step toward breaking the stereotypes that have long plagued Muslim women.
Kenza Layli, with over 200,000 Instagram followers and nearly 49,000 on TikTok, is entirely AI-created — from her images to every single word she utters. She is not just a digital face; she is now a symbol of diversity and inclusivity in the AI landscape. Layli’s presence challenges the typical narratives, showcasing a Muslim woman who is real and relatable, free from the usual stereotypes.
For years, we — Muslim women — have been fighting against the harmful stereotypes that depict us as oppressed and marginalized across all the mainstream domains. The reality, however, is far more multifaceted. We live in a world where hijab bans and biased views about our autonomy persist. Yet, in our everyday lives, we are far from the oppressed figures often portrayed. We are editors, writers, doctors, engineers, artists, and now, even AI-generated influencers who can win beauty pageants.
Layli’s digital presence offers a counter-narrative, allowing a Muslim woman to simply exist, admired for her attributes and contributions, rather than her adherence to or rebellion against traditional norms.
Kenza Layli’s victory in the AI beauty pageant is not just a win for her original creator or AI enthusiasts; it is a win for Muslim women everywhere. It is a testament that we can be represented without the usual tropes of oppression and extremism. Layli’s digital presence offers a counter-narrative, allowing a Muslim woman to simply exist, admired for her attributes and contributions, rather than her adherence to or rebellion against traditional norms.
If nothing else, this development brings to light the frequently overlooked discourse regarding representation and human psychology. Repeated exposure to positive representations of Muslim women can shift the mental images that people evoke in their minds. Simply put, the more we see something, the more likely we are to accept it. So, by consistently showcasing Muslim women in diverse, empowering roles, societies can begin to challenge and change their preconceived notions.
Take, for example, Reem Bot, the recent AI-powered fashion and lifestyle editor at SheerLuxe who has been all over the newsfeeds these days. Although the magazine faced backlash for introducing Reem, the team’s clarification has served as a stark reminder for us that AI cannot exist in isolation; it needs the human factor for it to exist and function. But again, she represents the majority of us out there who are independent and taking on roles that we are capable of handling without the limitations of any inferiority complex that is often imposed on us.
If some argue that supporting AI’s integration of Muslim women limits our depiction to a world of fantasies and fairytales, we must ask why we care about the fairytales depicted by Disney.
If some argue that supporting AI’s integration of Muslim women limits our depiction to a world of fantasies and fairytales, we must ask why we care about the fairytales portrayed by Disney. Why do we insist on having the right actors and plot lines represent our stories authentically in the entertainment industry? After all, Ms. Marvel, Aladdin, and even Cyclops from Prison Break season 5 are all fictional characters that just so happen to have backgrounds that may represent us somehow. If AI-generated stories are the modern fairytales shaping the mental images through which we get to be viewed, we must care about them being done right.
As Muslim women who have dedicated ourselves to securing our space in every domain, we welcome the use of AI as a means to uphold our narratives and amplify our voices to broader audiences with distinct preferences without imposing any harm on anyone whatsoever.
As we navigate the rapid digitization of our world, it is imperative that we meticulously determine the portrayal of Muslim women in those images presented by AI technology. This responsibility is ours to bear. We should not shy away from pacing with the times or segregate ourselves from new, uncharted territories.
Our role at this moment moving forward lies in making sure that the images of AI-generated Muslim women are as dynamic and multifaceted as we are instead of perpetuating the false stereotypes that we used to see all over the internet over a decade ago.