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Artificial Elegance: The rise of AI Beauty Queens

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Photo Credit: VecStock

BY AMARI SUKHDEO

Miss Universe needs to step aside – because there is a new kind of beauty in town, and she’s not even real! Fanvue, an innovative AI-powered creator platform, has launched the World AI Creator Awards, the world’s first beauty pageant for AI-generated influencers. The contest began in April and has just announced its 10 semifinalists, all competing for a $20,000 prize and the chance to redefine what beauty means in the digital age.

Seren Ay is a Turkish redhead who’s not just a pretty face, but she is outlined for her pursuits in electrical work, firefighting, and even posing with velociraptors and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Then there’s Aiyana Rainbow, a Romanian DJ with vibrant, multicolored hair, and Kenza Layli, a hijab-wearing Moroccan influencer promoting everything from hygiene products to local tourism.

Despite their diverse backgrounds, these AI models share common traits: flawless skin, perfectly proportioned bodies, and engaging personalities tailored for the influencer market. This pageant is fascinating, because it mirrors real-life beauty contests and standards – minus the human flaws. Sociologist Hilary Levey Friedman points out that just like traditional pageants, where enhancements and perfection are praised, AI pageants take this to a new level by erasing imperfections altogether and taking away the small flaws that differentiate humans from AI.

Fanvue’s competition isn’t just about looks, though. Contestants are judged on their social media influence and the skill that their creators utilize AI technology. This adds a new layer to the beauty pageant besides mere appearance, it blends artistry, technical programming and strategic marketing. For instance, Seren Ay’s creators sifted through 300 AI-generated faces to find one that looked just right.

Despite the novelty, the AI beauty pageant has sparked some controversy. Critics argue it perpetuates narrow, traditional standards of beauty, often showcasing young, thin, and light-skinned models. This issue isn’t unique to AI; a recent study by The Washington Post found similar biases in AI-generated images of women. The finalists of Fanvue’s contest reflect these biases, raising questions about the future of beauty norms.

The rise of AI influencers also highlights a growing trend in the influencer market, which is expected to reach $200 billion by 2032. AI models like Aitana Lopez, who is a judge for the competition, are already making significant strides, earning their creators thousands of dollars through brand partnerships. These virtual influencers offer a cost-effective and highly customizable alternative to human influencers, appealing to brands seeking perfection without the challenges of working with real people.

As we watch this AI beauty pageant unfold, we’re clearly witnessing a cultural shift. The line between human and digital influencers is blurring, making us question what authenticity and beauty means. While AI models can pull in likes and followers, they lack the genuine human connection that real influencers provide.

The World AI Creator Awards is more than just a pageant; it’s a peek into the future of beauty and social media. As AI continues to evolve, we need to think about inclusivity and diversity in all forms of representation, whether they’re human or digital.

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Junior Contributors

To make education better, teachers need to change how they connect with students

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BY KAHA GEDI

Teaching isn’t just about giving information; it’s about creating learning experiences that students find interesting and useful. When teachers try new ways to connect with their students, learning becomes more exciting and not to mention meaningful. Here are five essential tips for schools and educators to support students.

Introducing Michigan Virtual, or LANSING, Mich, who unveiled a bold 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for transforming education. They are a leader in learning innovations and are sharing key tips for educators and schools to build off their new 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. This ambitious plan accentuates three strategic priorities: driving educational change, broadening student pathways, and powering professional learning. These efforts aim to address Michigan’s urgent need for educational talent development and provide innovative, technology-driven learning solutions for students and educators alike. These efforts aim to address Michigan’s urgent need for educational talent development and provide innovative, technology-driven learning solutions for students and educators alike. Other regions, including Toronto, Ontario can also learn from these strategies and use them to improve their own educational systems too.

To support both students and educators, schools should look to:

  • Adopt new learning models: Schools should explore innovative educational measures like virtual training and project-based learning to meet diverse needs. These models allow students to engage in hands-on experiences that relate to real-world problems, helping them develop important skills like teamwork and critical thinking.
  • Expand career pathways: Focus on integrating flexible, real-world learning experiences to prepare students for life beyond school. This could include: job shadowing, internships, or partnerships with local, or small businesses, giving students a chance to explore different careers and understand what skills are needed. I think this is a great idea because it diversifies students’ experiences and helps them get ready for the real world. It shows them how what they learn in school can be used in real-life situations. By taking part in these opportunities, students can make important connections and learn more about their future careers.
  • Prioritize professional development: Investing in flexible learning opportunities to keep up with trends in education technology is crucial. Providing teachers with ongoing training helps them learn new tools and techniques, which they can then use to enhance their teaching and better support their students.
  • Foster collaborative networks: Engaging with partners such as Michigan Virtual to introduce and attain system-wide transformations. Collaboration allows schools to share resources and best practices, creating a stronger support system for educators and students alike. By working together, schools can implement new ideas more effectively.
  • Leverage technology: Use AI and other tech tools to create personalized, high touch learning environments that enhance student engagement. Technology can help make lessons to fit individual student needs, making learning more enjoyable and effective. For example, virtual reality experiences, which can be provided with a higher budget, and can be used once in while during classes, can definitely make lessons more interactive.

In conclusion, to make education better, teachers need to change how they connect with students. By trying new learning methods, offering real-world experiences, supporting teacher training, working together with partners, and using technology, schools can create meaningful learning experiences. Michigan Virtual plan shows that these ideas can help students and teachers today and prepare them for the future. By using these strategies, schools can improve learning and help students succeed.

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Junior Contributors

6 Essential tips for mastering college productivity

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BY AMARI SUKHDEO

Balancing college classes, assignments, part-time jobs, and personal life can be challenging, especially when everything feels like a top priority. Between study sessions, deadlines, and social commitments, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

However, developing effective productivity habits can help you: stay organized, reduce stress, and even carve out more time for the things you enjoy. Here are six essential tips to help you stay on top of your responsibilities without sacrificing your well-being.

Use a calendar to organize your time

Start by organizing your schedule using a calendar or planner, whether it’s digital or paper based. Set aside time for classes, study sessions, and any other commitments, making sure to include travel time, meals, and breaks. Having a clear view of your week ahead can help prevent missed deadlines and last-minute stress.

Make a focused to-do list

Every week, create a to-do list that includes both large and small tasks. Estimate how long each one will take, then prioritize them based on deadlines and difficulty. A well-organized list can help you stay focused and makes it easier to work through your day without feeling overwhelmed. Re-evaluate your list as the week goes on, moving completed tasks off the list and adding any new ones to keep everything up to date.

Tackle tasks during your peak hours

Everyone has certain times of the day when they’re most alert. Identify your peak productivity hours, whether morning, or late night and schedule your hardest work for those times. Experiment with different times of day to discover what works best for you, and be flexible; sometimes schedules shift, so having a backup plan can be useful when you need it.

Eliminate distractions

Staying focused is key to getting things done efficiently. Find a study spot where you can work without interruptions, and turn off phone and app notifications during study sessions. Using a timer to work in focused blocks, such as 25 minutes with a short break afterward, can keep your mind on track and prevent burnout. If you’re easily tempted by social media or browsing, consider apps that temporarily block distractions, or allow access to them only during breaks.

Take regular breaks to recharge

Taking breaks might seem counterproductive, but they’re essential for maintaining focus over time. If you feel mentally exhausted, or start losing concentration, step away for a short walk, do some stretching, or grab a snack. Breaks help recharge your mind, allowing you to return to tasks with renewed energy. You might also want to include “micro-breaks,” where you pause for a minute, or two to stretch, or breathe deeply, especially during longer study sessions.

Remember self-care

Your well-being directly impacts your productivity. Make time for sleep, eat balanced meals, and find ways to manage stress, like: deep breathing, exercise, or meditation.

While self-care might feel like another “task” on your list, it’s crucial for staying healthy and keeping up with the demands of college life. Building these habits now will pay off in better focus, higher energy, and greater resilience over time.

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Junior Contributors

It is all about using technology as a tool, not as a crutch

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Photo Credit: Look Studio

BY KHADIJA KARIM

Artificial Intelligence, or AI for short, is already here. It is in our phones and video games. It is even in the things we search. While AI can be great, some experts say depending on it too much could actually change how we think, and that might not be good for us!

So, what does AI really do? It is a tool that learns from info it sees and then uses what it learned to make rules about new stuff it hasn’t seen before. This can save us time and energy by helping us find what we are looking for fast, but there are a few bad things about getting all this convenience.

One thing I worry about is that if we rely on AI too much, then we might not be able to really do certain things well. For example, let’s say you started using a calculator for all the math problems you need to solve, then it would start becoming harder and harder for you to even do simple math in your head. Similarly, if we start relying on AI to make decisions, or even help us think of new ideas, then we have no way of getting better at it ourselves. It will certainly help make things easier, but at the same time I would not want to lose my ability to come up with unique original thoughts, or process information myself. If everything was done by AI in our lives there won’t be much space left for us to think.

So how do we solve this? The answer is simple. AI can be an amazing tool, it was created to help us in our daily lives after all, but that’s all it should be; a tool. Just because something can be done for us doesn’t mean it has to be. Understanding and accepting that concept is important if we want to ensure our skills remain sharp and unique.

In conclusion, while AI can make our lives easier, we need to be careful not to let it take away our ability to think and create independently. It’s all about using technology as a tool, not as a crutch. If we stay mindful of this, we can enjoy the benefits of AI while still being true to ourselves.

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