Nairobi — As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape how people are seen and represented, technology company TECNO has launched a global initiative aimed at promoting fair and authentic representation.

The company, in partnership with award-winning Brazilian visual artist Angélica Dass, has unveiled "100 Portraits of Becoming," a two-year project that will span five countries, beginning in Nairobi, Kenya.

The initiative seeks to capture 100 authentic portraits of people from diverse backgrounds while documenting their personal stories and life journeys.

According to TECNO, the project aims to spark global conversations about identity, dignity, inclusion and how AI should represent people more accurately.

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TECNO General Manager Jack Guo said every image influences how people are perceived, making fairness and accuracy increasingly important in the AI era.

"Every image shapes assumptions about who matters and how people are understood. Through this project, we want technology not only to capture people faithfully but also to help people feel truly seen. Truthful representation is the foundation of genuine human understanding," Guo said.

Dass said the partnership creates a platform where people can tell their own stories instead of being defined by stereotypes.

"My portrait practice has always been about creating space for people to exist beyond assumptions. This collaboration is not about defining people, but allowing identity to remain open, layered and human. Being visible is not the same as being understood," she said.

The collaboration builds on Dass' internationally acclaimed work, HumanaE, a portrait series that challenges traditional ideas of race by highlighting the diversity of human skin tones.

Her work has been featured by organizations including the World Economic Forum, UNESCO, and leading museums worldwide. Her TED Talk on skin and identity has attracted more than two million views.

The project will photograph 100 people across Kenya, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Brazil over the next two years.

Participants will be photographed in natural light, without filters, and wearing clothes of their choice to preserve authenticity. Alongside each portrait, participants will share personal stories about their lives and experiences.

The portraits and stories will be published in a digital "Living Archive," designed to celebrate diversity while encouraging conversations about identity in the age of AI.

The portraits will be taken using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, powered by the company's Universal Tone technology.

TECNO says the AI-powered imaging system was developed to better represent the full range of human skin tones after studies showed many imaging systems struggled to accurately capture people with darker complexions.

The technology currently supports a database of 372 skin tones, helping produce more accurate and natural-looking portraits.

TECNO said Kenya was selected as the starting point because of its youthful population and growing reputation as Africa's "Silicon Savannah."

The company believes the country represents a generation helping shape the future through innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity.

One of the first participants, Alexander Odhiambo, co-founder of Solutech Limited, said the project allows people to define themselves instead of being defined by others.

"People are always quick to tell you what you are and where you fit. I stopped waiting for that. The story that counts is the one I'm writing myself," he said.

After Kenya, the initiative will expand to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Brazil, with the first collection of portraits expected to be published online in early August.

TECNO says the project aims to show that the future of AI-powered imaging is not just about capturing better pictures, but about helping people be seen and understood as they truly are.