NAIROBI, Kenya, As artificial intelligence continues to reshape how people are represented in digital imaging, TECNO has launched a global initiative in Kenya aimed at promoting more authentic and inclusive representation in the AI era.
Dubbed “100 Portraits of Becoming,” the two-year initiative, implemented in partnership with Brazilian-Spanish visual artist Angélica Dass, seeks to capture 100 portraits of individuals across five countries. Beyond photography, the project aims to document personal stories that explore identity, dignity and human experiences in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Kenya becomes the first country to host the initiative, underscoring its growing reputation as one of Africa’s leading innovation hubs. The project will later expand to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Brazil.
According to TECNO, the initiative builds on the company’s efforts to develop imaging technology capable of representing people more accurately regardless of their skin tone, while encouraging conversations about fairness and authenticity in artificial intelligence.
“Every image shapes assumptions, why it matters, who matters, and how people are understood. That makes fair and accurate representation increasingly important in the AI era,” said Jack Guo, General Manager at TECNO.
“Through this project, we want to move beyond representation as technical accuracy alone and explore representation as recognition, enabling technology not only to capture people faithfully, but to help people feel truly seen.”
The initiative is being co-created with Angélica Dass, an internationally acclaimed visual artist best known for her Humanæ project, which challenges conventional ideas about race and identity through portraiture.
Dass said the collaboration seeks to create space for people to tell their own stories instead of being defined by assumptions.
“My portrait practice has always been less about documenting appearance and more about creating space for people to exist beyond assumptions,” she said.
“What moved me about this collaboration is the shared vision and the possibility of bringing that intention into a medium used by millions every day. Being visible is not the same as being understood. True recognition begins when we are seen as we really are.”
Participants will be photographed using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, powered by the company’s Universal Tone imaging technology, which is designed to improve the accurate capture of a broad spectrum of skin tones. Each participant will also share a personal story that will become part of an online “Living Archive” intended to preserve diverse human experiences.
Launching the initiative in Kenya was a deliberate choice, according to TECNO, which describes the country as a place where innovation, youthful creativity and digital transformation continue to shape the future. The inaugural portraits feature entrepreneurs, artists, farmers and other everyday creators whose experiences reflect the country’s diverse social fabric.
Among them is Kenyan entrepreneur and Solutech Limited co-founder Alexander Odhiambo, who believes the project allows people to define themselves on their own terms.
“People are always quick to tell you what you are and where you fit,” Odhiambo said. “I stopped waiting for that. The story that counts is the one I’m writing myself.”
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in communication and visual storytelling, initiatives such as 100 Portraits of Becoming highlight a growing conversation within the technology sector: ensuring innovation reflects the diversity, dignity and lived experiences of the people it is designed to serve.
