Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has taken part in the viral “Hug My Younger Self” trend, sharing an AI-generated image that placed him alongside his 22-year-old self. The edit, created by supporters and sent to him directly, prompted him to reflect on his early career.
“That was me in my first month at the UN,” he wrote. “I find myself torn between envy at his swagger and amusement at his scraggly beard. The decades have done me good, I must say. But what I wouldn’t give to have the waistline of this younger chap!”
The "Hug my younger self” phenomenon has gained traction across social media platforms thanks to Google’s Gemini AI tool, particularly its Nano Banana image module. Users generate images that depict their current selves embracing or interacting with younger versions of themselves, often in a nostalgic, polaroid-like style.
To participate, users typically upload a recent photo plus a childhood image (or rely on AI to approximate their younger appearance), then enter descriptive prompts such as “older self hugging younger self, warm lighting, nostalgic mood”.
In addition to the “younger self” edits, Gemini’s tools have also sparked another variation: the “Hug Your Dead Loved One” trend. This version involves generating images that simulate reunions with family members who have passed away. While some have welcomed it as a form of emotional closure, it has also prompted debate about whether AI should be used to recreate the likeness of deceased relatives.
The surge in interest has also helped propel Gemini’s popularity. According to recent reports, the app overtook ChatGPT in user growth in certain markets, in part driven by the viral nature of these AI image trends.
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