Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or in a cave), you’ve probably seen Mona popping up on your Instagram feed.
It’s easy to get captivated by Mona. Her eyes seem to hold you for a second too long, her face is balanced in a way that feels familiar but almost eerie in its symmetry, and her photos are flawless.
This is intentional.
Mona is an AI model—a creation meant to simulate an ideal form, crafted to appeal in ways that are usually reserved for our celebrity icons or social media influencers.
Yet, something feels slightly off. Mona isn’t alone in this new wave of AI influencers. Names like Lil Miquela and Shudu have already made their mark, drawing followers with their hyper-realistic features and curated aesthetics. They’re part of a landscape where “human” has become an aesthetic rather than an identity.
But Mona stands out because she’s so close to crossing that boundary—almost like a reflection in a mirror that doesn’t quite mimic your movements.
Why Does Mona Feel So Close… Yet So Far?
There’s a tension in Mona’s photos.
At a glance, she embodies what we think of as beautiful: perfectly styled, composed, and polished. Unlike a human influencer, she doesn’t suffer from bad angles or awkward lighting. Her skin is flawless, her gaze consistent. Every element seems meticulously controlled.
But the magic of a real human presence—those unpredictable, unplanned moments—is missing. Mona’s images are expertly staged, and maybe that’s exactly the problem.
There’s a kind of emptiness behind her eyes, a sense that no real thoughts or experiences are lingering there. Unlike the silent stories told by wrinkles, stray hairs, or the gleam in a person’s eye that hints at a memory, Mona’s perfection seems static.
It’s like she’s a mannequin with a heartbeat—a fascinating visual but one without the soul that pulls us closer.
The Allure and the Absence
For brands, Mona is a dream. She doesn’t age, doesn’t tire, and doesn’t make mistakes. She’ll never cancel a shoot, and every angle is her “good” angle. And yet, for all her perfection, she can’t quite cross into the realm of real human connection.
When we see a person’s photo, we’re unconsciously picking up on things beyond just their features. It’s the vulnerability in a half-smile, the warmth in a fleeting glance, or the quiet confidence in a candid moment. Mona lacks these qualities, not because she’s poorly designed, but because her nature doesn’t allow for them.
She’s perfect on a surface level, but that’s as far as she goes.
In a way, she reflects something about us as viewers. Are we simply drawn to the flawless? Or is it the flawed—the unpredictable—that truly keeps us coming back?
My Two Cents About Mona
After spending some time with Mona’s photos, a few small quirks started to pop out.
In one image, while she’s riding a horse on a beautiful beach, her hand holding her hair seems slightly off—almost like the fingers blur together, or there’s a hint of an extra one. In another shot, with her arms crossed in a casual pose, her fingers appear almost too uniform, lacking the natural variance you’d expect.
And in a more intimate close-up, where she’s applying lipstick, there’s something about the symmetry of her face that feels… overly precise, as if each feature was balanced on a digital scale.
These aren’t glaring flaws, but they’re enough to remind you that Mona’s perfection is crafted.
It’s these subtle details—the ones that don’t quite match our sense of “real”—that bring her back to being a creation of code, not flesh. In a way, these tiny glitches are what give her away, like the quiet digital signature left behind.
Seeing Mona for What She Is
There’s no denying Mona’s influence.
Scroll through her Instagram, and you’ll see the allure of her world—each image a perfect composition. But as you look closer, you might start to feel the gap, the part of her that seems almost deliberately empty. It’s as though she’s inviting us to project our own interpretations, without ever revealing something of her own.
See for yourself on Instagram.
Maybe that’s the point: Mona is almost perfect, but she lacks that something real—a hidden detail, a private thought, a story. And as AI models like her continue to gain traction, it’s worth considering what we actually want when we engage with an influencer.
Because maybe, in the end, it’s the imperfections that make us truly pay attention.