GabyThe artist used artificial intelligence to create a realistic image of the Virgin Mary, depicting her as a teenage girl with long black hair, dark eyes, and a tan complexion.
Miguel Ángel Omaña Rojas reconstructed the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the figure depicted on the garment worn by Saint Juan in Mexico over 700 years ago. He said he spent weeks using AI technology to analyze the image, studying every nuance of the figure to convey “gestures and expressions in motion.”
According to the artist, the world finally saw “what the most famous woman looked like in real life.”
Although it was believed that the Virgin Mary had Middle Eastern origins, various cultures altered her image to match the appearance of the local population.
American writer Pat Mora, author of the children’s book “Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe,” said, “She is used as a symbol of justice because she is directed toward the poor and marginalized. Today we can see her as a representative of those who stand against oppression and assert their independence.”
Christians believe the Virgin Mary left her image on the cloak (tilma) made of cactus fibers and worn by Saint Juan. Today that cloak is on display at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, the Daily Mail reported.
While analyzing the ancient fabric, the artificial intelligence system identified key facial features—bone structure, skin tone, and expression—to recreate the image as accurately as possible. The technology also used models trained on large datasets of human faces and bodies.
Miguel Ángel Omaña Rojas also used a database of real human traits with artificial intelligence to find correspondences with the features of Our Lady of Guadalupe, then synthesized a realistic image.
The AI completed the project, adding realistic skin and hair textures. The artist said, “This is the most accurate image that artificial intelligence has been able to create.”
