It’s the new job search shortcut: upload a few selfies, press a button and let artificial intelligence create a professional headshot. For many people, this beats booking a costly photo session and waiting for edited proofs.
In a time when the job market is tight, people are using AI to save time and money on resumes, cover letters and even interview prep. According to the 2025 Market Trend Report from recruitment firm Career Group Opportunities, 65% of job seekers use AI during their application process. That includes 19% for resumes, 20% for cover letters, 9% for headshots, 7% for interview practice and 5% each for work samples and career guidance.
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A photographer’s perspective
For professional photographers, however, AI headshots are hitting close to home.
“Headshots are a huge part of my business, and it’s one thing that I specialize in,” said Zach Dalin, a St. Louis-based photographer and videographer who has worked in the industry since 2013.
“[AI headshots are] cool. I use AI and all these AI tools in a lot of aspects of my business,” he said. “It’s amazing the technology we have out there.”
He adds that while AI can generate a polished image, it still falls short of what a human photographer provides.
“Although you can AI-generate a great image of yourself, you’re not going to get that confidence and approachability,” he said. “Those are things that take a trained professional.”
The limits of AI emotion
According to Dalin, the biggest gap between AI and human photography is emotion.
“Part of what we do is taking the picture, obviously,” he explained, “but the other part is eliciting a certain emotion, a certain facial expression, a certain body language. These are things that AI tools simply won’t be able to do. You’re getting about 80% of the way there — a professional photographer can get you that extra 20%.”
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Around two-thirds of job seekers use AI when applying, 20% for cover letters, 19% for resumes and smaller shares for headshots (9%), interview prep (7%) and career help (5%).
That emotional nuance can make the difference between a photo that feels alive and one that looks fake. While AI headshots may help someone land an interview, Dalin says the connection that brings photos to life still requires a human touch.
AI is already changing the industry
Dalin isn’t anti-AI. In fact, he uses it daily.
Inside photo-editing software like Adobe’s Photoshop, generative AI allows him to change colors and fine-tune details in seconds. He also uses “AI culling,” software that sorts through thousands of photos from a wedding to instantly identify the best shots.
“There are a lot of AI tools in the photography space, and they’re only getting better,” he said. “As a professional, I can either fight it or embrace it. I choose to embrace it and provide a better experience for my customers.”
He also uses a service called Spot My Photos, which relies on facial recognition to send event guests professional photos directly to their phones, thanks to AI. “Guests want high-quality, flattering photos — and they get them instantly,” Dalin said.
Workers and employers both rely on AI
Dalin’s adaptation reflects a broader trend in the workplace. According to Ivanti’s 2025 Technology at Work report, 42% of office workers utilize AI tools, such as ChatGPT, during work hours.
And while candidates are turning to AI to help with job applications, the companies hiring them are doing the same. The World Economic Forum reports that 88% of employers use AI to screen candidates. Big-name companies, such as Google and Goldman Sachs, which received more than 315,000 internship applications in 2024, now rely on AI to filter out highly qualified candidates during initial reviews.
That’s why many HR professionals stress the importance of optimizing resumes for applicant tracking systems, software that determines whether a candidate even makes it to a human recruiter.
But not every use of AI pays off. The 2025 AI and the Applicant Report from Resume Now found that 62% of hiring managers are most likely to reject AI-generated resumes that feel impersonal or lack a human touch.
‘Innovate or die’ and the future of photography
While some photographers are exploring AI to streamline editing or enhance creativity, others are cautious — unsure how far technology might go in reshaping their field. A 2025 Pew Research study found that 52% of workers across industries worry about AI’s impact on their jobs, and 32% believe it will lead to fewer opportunities overall.
Dalin understands that hesitation, but isn’t overly worried about being replaced anytime soon.
“For example, I’m also a wedding photographer,” he said. “I don’t think a bride and groom are going to get to the point, at least not for a while, where they say, ‘I don’t need a wedding photographer anymore — I’ll just upload some random pictures of myself in pajamas, and it’ll put a bridal dress on me and a tux on my fiancé.’ Maybe that happens eventually, but photographers will just have to pivot, adjust, and offer a better level of service.”
For now, he believes the heart behind photography remains impossible to replicate.
“It absolutely is going to affect the photography industry. It already is,” he said. “But these tools aren’t going anywhere. So innovate or die. Find a way to embrace them, use them to offer a better experience — and your business will thrive.”
