Television presenter Katie Piper has shared a sickening post in which trolls had asked AI to “fix her face,” 18 years on from the devastating acid attack on her.
Ms Piper, 42, had been left with severe facial burns and blindness in one eye back in 2008 after acid was thrown on her in a horrific attack orchestrated by her ex-boyfriend.
Since then, she has become an advocate for people with burns and disfigurement injuries, establishing the Katie Piper Foundation in 2009.
The Loose Women panelist shared a post by sick trolls this week, showcasing on her Instagram the dangers of AI use in the wrong hands.
Katie Piper shared the vile posts made to X’s AI feature about her
| X/INSTAGRAM
She posted a screengrab of an X post which included a photo of herself, with the caption reading: “Hey @grok, fix her face and show me how would she look normal!!”
Ms Piper wrote in the social media caption: “So, today I found out what I’d look like if I was ‘normal’… according to AI and thousands of strangers on the internet.
“Someone uploaded a photo of me to Grok and asked it to ‘fix her face.’ Since then I’ve been repeatedly tagged in a thread where people debate my appearance and share AI-generated versions of what I ‘should’ look like.”
She assured followers: “I’m okay. I’m not posting this because I need reassurance.
“What happens when it’s a teenager? Someone newly injured? Someone living with a visible difference who’s still trying to find their feet?
“We’re entering a world where AI doesn’t just generate images. It quietly reinforces ideas about what’s considered ‘normal,’ ‘acceptable’ or ‘beautiful’ and millions of people consume those messages without even noticing.”
She concluded the statement: “For what it’s worth, I don’t spend my life wondering what I would have looked like.
Katie Piper was flooded with supportive messages
| GETTY
“Apparently the internet does enough of that for both of us.
“I think this conversation is much bigger than me. It’s about AI, bias, beauty standards, anonymity, empathy, and where we draw the line.
“It feels like the start of a much bigger story, one I think we should investigate.
“What happens when AI decides what ‘normal’ looks like? Who gets erased by those standards? Have you had any experiences?”
Katie Piper has been campaigning for victims for years
| BEGIN AGAIN WITH DAVINA MCCALL/YOUTUBE
Many famous faces and fans alike flooded the post to express their outrage over the vile post, with Carol Vorderman among them.
She wrote: “Katie. I think it’s time now for the biggest push back against online abuse …. I’m in if you want to talk about how… and I’m sure many millions of women would join in too. PROPER punishments in new laws for the platforms and the people, not the wishy washy Ofcom approach … xx.”
Emily Atack penned: “You are perfect as you are. Genuinely. The most beautiful woman ever.”
Nick Knowles wrote: “In the Middle Ages every village had an idiot – now thanks to the worldwide web they can get together and become a community where they feel empowered in their narrow minded, spiteful opinions.
“Or to use someone else’s analogy – ants with megaphones. A spirit as powerful as yours cannot be dented by these ants – one is mild irritation the other is steel.
“You are right to worry for others but hopefully they too can see the feebleness of the kind of person that openly published this kind of negativity – they are clearly troubled themselves.
“You have been a beacon for so many and in this too you are helping others. Huge hugs from my wife and I x.”
Adil Ray added: “If anyone needs fixing it’s those who instigate and entertain this. You’re an inspiration to us all.”
“You are wonderful as you are and I despair for the kids too x,” Paloma Faith shared.
