Instagram's ChatGPT '80s photo trend goes viral: Here’s list of prompt to try

Open Instagram this week, and the algorithm has apparently decided it's 1986. Big hair, disco lighting, grainy film stock, and a wave of AI-generated throwback portraits have taken over Stories and Reels, and almost everyone is using the same tool to make them: ChatGPT.

Users upload their latest picture and request from ChatGPT that it be recreated in 80s vibes where only the features and skin colour of the person remain the same and the rest, including hair, clothing, setting, light, and grain, in the picture are revamped.

The trending prompt on Instagram Stories involves asking the AI about how the user looks in the 80s by retaining their unique features. This trend is created via the "Add Yours" sticker by Instagram.

Many of the most-shared results lean into Bollywood styling, family-album aesthetics and iconic '80s film looks rather than a generic Western retro filter, a regional variation that's given the trend more staying power on Indian Instagram than a one-note aesthetic might have had.

The format has also spread to TikTok, and users aren't limited to ChatGPT; Gemini is being used to generate the same style of portraits.

Instagram's ChatGPT '80s photo trend prompts

The News International has got you three ready-to-use prompts, each aimed at a different version of the trend that you can try to recreate your images with 80s looks:

Bollywood studio portrait

Reimagine this photo as a glamorous 1980s Bollywood studio portrait. Keep the subject's facial features and natural skin tone unchanged. Add voluminous, softly curled hair, a bold colourful outfit with statement jewellery, warm studio lighting, rich cinematic tones and a subtle vintage film grain. The final image should look polished, elegant and realistic, not cartoonish.

Family album throwback

Turn this photo into a candid 1980s family album snapshot. Preserve the subject's exact facial features and skin tone. Style the hair and clothing in a modest, everyday '80s look; think printed shirts, high-waisted trousers or a simple saree, set against a plain home interior or garden backdrop. Add slightly faded colours, soft focus and visible film grain, as if scanned from an old physical print.

Retro disco portrait

Recreate this image as a 1980s disco-era portrait. Keep the subject's recognisable facial features and natural skin tone intact. Add big, teased hair, a shimmery or metallic outfit, bold makeup, coloured stage lighting in the background, and a grainy, slightly overexposed film look. Make it feel like a real photograph from a party, not a digital filter.