The Rise of AI-Generated Action Figures: A Creative Trend to Try

Cherie Thacker
Jun 3
3 min read

Updated: Jul 23

Back in early April, LinkedIn witnessed a refreshing wave of creativity. Many users paused their scrolling to admire AI-generated action figures representing everyday professionals. These figures came packaged like collectibles, complete with accessories reflecting their roles, personalities, and favorite things. It felt nostalgic, a bit nerdy, and entirely brilliant.

This trend started with Jalonni Weaver, a recruiter, mom, and content creator. Her creativity transformed a simple scroll-stopping image into a significant cultural moment.

“After seeing Jake Heath create a work-related action figure, I was inspired to take the concept a step further by designing one that truly reflects my life and daily experiences,” Jalonni said.

“It’s been incredible to see how many people have embraced this trend and how much you can learn about someone through a single image. I didn’t anticipate the impact it would have on social media, but it’s been amazing to witness such a positive and inclusive trend—one that resonates across all generations.”

Meet the Creative Mind Behind the Trend

Connect with Jalonni:

🔗LinkedIn

📰Subscribe to her newsletter, Chit Chats with Lonni

Toy figure set featuring a smiling woman with a baby carrier, dog, camera, laptop, headphones, drink, taco. Purple packaging.

And she’s right! This trend is more than just cute; it showcases what effective prompting can achieve.

The Prompt is the Secret Sauce

While many may view these images as mere fun digital art, we see something deeper. It’s a masterclass in prompt engineering. Each action figure is the result of clear, detailed, and intentional instruction to a large language model or image generator.

The accessories, packaging style, and even the facial expressions are dictated by how you prompt the AI.

Want a pastel color palette? Say so. Want a dragonfruit lemonade or a baby carrier? Be specific. Just one tweak can turn a flat image into a full narrative.

That’s precisely what we teach at AI OWL. Prompting forms the basis of all our training programs. This trend provided the perfect opportunity to highlight just how powerful good prompting can be.

Inside AI OWL: Our Mini Figures + Prompts

Our team didn’t just admire the trend; we jumped in! We created our own action figures using ChatGPT and DALL·E. This process became a highlight of our internal prompting training. Each team member submitted a photo, wrote a detailed prompt, and curated accessories that reflected their personality and role.

Here’s a sneak peek into a few creations:

Staff Example Prompt 1 – The Creative Director

“Create an action figure toy of the person in this photo. The figure should be full-body, posed confidently, and displayed in luxe, editorial-style blister pack packaging. The top of the box reads ‘Creative Director’ in sleek serif lettering. Inside the packaging, include accessories such as a vintage film camera, Pantone swatches, a sketchbook with loose scribbles, gold hoop earrings, and a lavender latte. The packaging color palette should be deep emerald and matte black with soft gold foil accents.”

Staff Example Prompt 2 – The Field Technician

“Generate an action figure toy of the person in this photo. The figure should be dressed in a hi-vis vest, sturdy boots, and a toolbelt. Displayed in standard plastic blister packaging with rugged, utility-style graphics. The name ‘Field Technician’ appears in bold, industrial font at the top of the box. Inside the packaging, place accessories including a digital multimeter, hard hat, toolbox, walkie-talkie, and a pack of peanut M&Ms. Maintain the subject’s facial features, and pose the figure mid-step as if walking on a job site.”

This was a creative challenge and a practical reminder. How we communicate with AI directly affects our outcomes.

What This Means for You

At AI OWL, it’s not just about teaching people how to use AI tools. We focus on how to communicate with them effectively. If you're in marketing, HR, operations, or leadership, the quality of your prompt dictates the quality of your results. Trends like this show prompting is not just technical; it can be personal, expressive, and fun.