How Boxing Ourselves In Brought AI to the Masses

Why I Hadn’t Made My Doll

The AI-generated “boxed doll” trend really took off. You know the one: design yourself as a mini figure, accessories and all, like you just came off the shelf at a toy store. But while everyone else was posting theirs, I hesitated. Not because I don’t love a good internet trend (those who know me well, know I do), but because… where would I even start?

As someone who sees themselves as a bit of a jack of all trades, narrowing down my “accessories” to just three or four items made me spiral immediately. Straight away, I was heading into expansion pack territory. Would I include a bass guitar? Running shoes? The 6kg or 9kg Hyrox wall ball I’m desperately trying not to drop on my head each week?

The more I thought about it, the more it became less about defining myself and more about realising how many versions of “me” (and “us”) there really are. And that’s one lesson from this trend: we should stop boxing ourselves in and appreciate that we’re all multi-faceted, evolving, and beautiful in our own unique ways.

Spoiler: I did create my doll but I had him break out...

Then the AI-Skeptics Came Knocking

From appreciating our differences to seeing a shift in narrative, what surprised me most was who was making their boxes. Friends who had previously rolled their eyes when I’d gone full TED Talk about Gen AI were now sending me their creations:

“LOOK what I made!”

“Isn’t this so cool?”

Suddenly, the story wasn’t about efficiency, productivity, or workflow automation. It was about play. Creativity. Pure, joyful self-expression that got the experimentation flowing and brought a whole new audience into the fold.

There’s a reason ChatGPT just overtook TikTok and others as the most downloaded app in the Apple Store a few days ago. More people are seeing what's possible, and nobody wants to be left behind.

From Free Fun to Paid Priority

The real moment came when my partner ran out of her free credits and asked for help getting her doll across the finish line. This wasn’t just a fun little distraction anymore — it had shifted into something worth paying for (or at least worth borrowing a premium account for).

Not because it saved time, but because it sparked joy.

And that shift? That’s what real adoption looks like. It’s also how I, and many organisations, need to start thinking about driving meaningful AI use:

What are those moments of joy we can spark that make users not want to turn their backs on this technology?

We’ve Been Asking the Wrong Question

For quite a while now, the north star in most Gen AI deployments has been:

“How can this make work more efficient?”

And while we all have a million and one things on our to-do lists, the focus on doing more, doing it differently, or (heaven forbid) doing less, has been largely anchored around personal and operational efficiency, not enjoyment.

But here’s the thing: improved enjoyment leads to better adoption, better engagement, and ultimately, better outcomes.

So maybe we’ve been looking at it wrong. Maybe the better question going forward is:

“How can Gen AI make our work more fun?”

Ease of use is important, sure. But this trend has proved something bigger: the real pull is fun. That moment of “oh wow, I made this” sparks curiosity and keeps people coming back. AI doesn’t just need to be useful. It needs to be enjoyable.

A New Way to Show Who We Are

Beyond driving adoption, these packaged dolls have more powerful use cases — especially in the workplace. How often have you joined a new organisation or team and had to do the standard “tell us about yourself” intro? What if, instead, your whole team brought their AI-generated doll boxes to the table? It’s a playful, creative way to spark conversation and deepen understanding. You get a sense of what drives someone, what excites them, and what makes them tick — both in and out of work. And that matters, especially in the more hybrid, less face-to-face way we work today.

Has the Early Majority Arrived?

Potentially. This isn’t just for the innovators and early adopters anymore. The early majority may have just walked in. And they came not because they had to, but because they wanted to.

Now that they’re through the door, we have an opportunity to rethink the whole experience of generative AI. This means designing for delight first, with efficiency following close behind.

So, What Now?

🧠 Think Outside the Box

What would your accessories be? What makes you you and how might sharing that help others connect with you more easily?

🎨 Redefine the Use Case

What if your next generative AI project didn’t start with a spreadsheet or slide deck but with a spark of curiosity, delight, or imagination?

🧊 Use It as an Icebreaker

Introducing yourself to a new team? Skip the bullet points. Show them your doll version. It’s instantly more personal and gives people something fun to ask about.

Generative AI didn’t go mainstream because it made us more efficient. It did it by making us smile. By letting us box ourselves in, we’ve actually opened up something much bigger: a new way to connect, create, and play.

And that might just be the spark we’ve been waiting for.

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