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How to follow ‘hug my younger self’ trend: Instagram’s latest viral AI fad
Many have described the results as heart-warming, with the AI-generated visuals capturing a sense of nostalgia and self-love.
Many have described the results as heart-warming, with the AI-generated visuals capturing a sense of nostalgia and self-love.
After the viral saree and 3D figure challenges, Instagram users are now embracing a new craze: the “Hug My Younger Self” trend. Powered by Google’s Flash 2.5 image generation model, popularly known as Nano Banana AI, the trend allows people to create nostalgic, polaroid-style images of their current selves embracing their childhood selves.
The concept has struck a chord with users looking to relive cherished memories, blending humour, creativity and sentimentality. Many have described the results as heart-warming, with the AI-generated visuals capturing a sense of nostalgia and self-love.
Much like previous AI fads, users are openly sharing prompts and tips online to help others recreate the effect. Two of the most widely circulated instructions are:
Prompt 1: Take a photo taken with a Polaroid camera. The photo should look like an ordinary photograph, without an explicit subject or property. The photo should have a slight blur and a consistent light source, like a flash from a dark room, scattered throughout the photo. Don’t change the face. Change the background behind those two people with white curtains. Make it look like both the people in the reference picture are hugging each other.
Prompt 2: Using my present photo and my childhood photo, create a realistic and heartwarming image where my current self is hugging my younger self. Make sure both faces and features are preserved accurately so the resemblance is clear. The mood should express self-love, nostalgia, and warmth, with natural lighting and a soft, emotional atmosphere—capturing the bond between who I was and who I am now.
The trend has quickly gained momentum, with Instagram feeds filling up with side-by-side images that blur the line between past and present. While many users are engaging simply for fun, others are using the AI feature as a way of reflecting on their personal journeys and celebrating growth.
This latest wave follows the AI saree trend and 3D figure prompts, highlighting the growing appetite for creative experimentation with AI tools in social media culture.
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