A pressing question arises as AI continues to influence how people are perceived and portrayed: how can we make sure technology accurately captures humanity in all its complexity?
According to TECNO, the solution begins with a straightforward idea: technology ought to enable people to be seen more honestly. In keeping with this conviction, TECNO and Brazilian visual artist Angélica Dass initiate "100 Portraits of Becoming," a two-year project that starts today in Nairobi, Kenya, and spans five countries.
The "100 Portraits of Becoming" project, which was co-founded with Angélica Dass, seeks to photograph 100 real people from all over the world and record their individual paths to becoming. A global cultural dialogue about authentic representation, identity, dignity, and human becoming in the era of AI is sparked by these portraits, which come from a variety of backgrounds and serve as a testament to the human tapestry.
This partnership, which combines Dass's human-centered approach to portraiture with TECNO's inclusive imaging innovation that helps people be represented more fairly, is based on a shared commitment to acknowledging the true diversity of human life.
“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. But beyond representation lies a bigger question: who is the real person behind the image? 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. By moving beyond bias, labels, and stereotypes, we hope to build a future where technology reflects people more authentically and allows the world to understand them more fully. Truthful representation is the foundation of genuine human understanding.” ~Jack Guo, General Manager at TECNO
“As a photographer, I realize that I can be a channel for others to communicate. The ‘100 Portraits of Becoming’ initiative with TECNO creates such a channel for people to speak for themselves and be seen on their own terms. That is why this collaboration with TECNO felt meaningful to me. My portrait practice has always been less about documenting appearance and more about creating space for people to exist beyond assumptions. 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. I am excited that this initiative is not about defining people — it is about allowing identity to remain open, layered, and human. Because being visible is not the same as being understood. True recognition begins when we are seen as we really are.” ~Angélica Dass
Angélica Dass: Seeing Humanity Beyond Skin Tones
The partnership with Angélica Dass is a logical progression of both TECNO's mission and Dass's investigation of the ways in which culture, technology, and individual narratives combine to produce authentic human representation.
Skin tones are more than just colors; they are reflections of distinct cultures and individual identities. Angélica Dass, an award-winning Brazilian-Spanish visual artist best known for Humanae, a global portrait series that challenges conventional ideas of racial identity, understood this long before others. Her writing highlights the idea that each person should be treated as an individual rather than a group.
In her work, Dass employs portraiture to highlight the uniqueness of her subjects, viewing skin tone as a starting point for individual stories rather than a label. Her influence extends well beyond conventional galleries; over two million people watched her 2016 TED Talk on skin and identity, and her artwork has been exhibited at prestigious venues and organizations like the World Economic Forum, UNESCO, AMNH, the Migration Museum in London, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. It has also appeared in magazines like National Geographic, Vogue, and Foreign Affairs.
“One thing I appreciate about the ‘100 Portraits of Becoming’ initiative is our shared belief that portraiture is not simply about recording appearance visually. It is a way of questioning assumptions, challenging labels, and creating space for people to be seen and understood beyond stereotypes.”
From 100 Portraits to 100 Ways of Seeing Humanity in Five Countries
Dass will take pictures of 100 people in five different countries, starting in Kenya, as part of "100 Portraits of Becoming." To ensure maximum authenticity, participants who register through a dedicated worldwide website are photographed in their own clothes, in natural light, and without any filters.
Each person will step in front of the camera and tell their own tales of development, showing how they overcame different cultural and societal changes to become the people they are today.
A "Living Archive"—a digital repository where people from all backgrounds can be seen, heard, and comprehended as part of a larger human story—will be created by showcasing these portraits and narratives on the project's website. As AI continues to transform representation, the archive seeks to maintain a cultural dialogue about identity and dignity.
TECNO Universal Tone: Expanding What Technology Can See
The TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which is powered by TECNO Universal Tone Technology and provides the technological basis for the project's dedication to accurate representation, will be used to record "100 Portraits of Becoming."
In the past, popular AI models and imaging algorithms have frequently been trained on datasets that adhere to a limited range of aesthetics, making it impossible for them to accurately represent the diversity of humanity. Because of this, mobile photography has all too frequently misrepresented people with non-fair skin tones by over-brightening, underexposing, or rendering them in ways that do not accurately reflect how they actually appear.
TECNO Universal Tone, the most sophisticated AI-powered full-spectrum skin tone imaging technology available, was introduced in 2023. It combines the largest and most accurate skin tone database in the industry with TECNO's industry-leading multi-skin-tone color card, which has 372 skin tones and is still growing.
The portraits in this project can start from a position of justice and authenticity thanks to Universal Tone, which facilitates more accurate capture of the entire range of human skin tones. It helps guarantee that every subject is portrayed with the dignity, nuance, and honesty required by the project rather than being corrected toward a limited standard.
From Nairobi to the World: One Hundred Ways to See Humanity
There is a reason why "100 Portraits of Becoming" starts in Kenya. Kenya, which has one of the youngest populations in the world and is frequently referred to as the "Silicon Savannah," is a symbol of a future that is already being shaped by the younger generation here, not somewhere else. Kenya has long questioned presumptions about where progress starts, from leading the way in mobile financial inclusion to fostering local innovation across industries. However, representation frequently falls behind reality and gives way to presumptions. Places like Kenya are still far too frequently framed through inherited narratives rather than lived complexity in international media and increasingly in AI-generated imagery.
This project is based on a different idea in Kenya: people should be defined by the stories they choose to tell themselves rather than by the stories that are told about them. That spirit is reflected in the first portraits, which showcase business owners, farmers, dancers, artists, and everyday creators whose lives cannot be summed up in a single story. They are not keeping up with the times. It is being defined by them.
“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.” ~Alexander Odhiambo, a Kenyan participant in “100 Portraits of Becoming” and co-founder of Solutech Limited, an enterprise software company serving manufacturers and distributors across Africa
What starts in Nairobi doesn't stop here. "100 Portraits of Becoming" visits the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Brazil over the course of the following two years, creating a living archive of individuals, identities, and the events that shape them. The full campaign rollout begins in early August with the release of the first stories and portraits.
Imaging's future involves more than just seeing more. It's about learning more. "100 Portraits of Becoming" provides one hundred perspectives on humanity, one narrative at a time, using one technology, five nations, and one hundred portraits.
For any related media queries, please contact pr.tecno@tecno-mobile.com.
About TECNO
As a global innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets, TECNO has been committed to revolutionizing the digital experience in global emerging markets, relentlessly pushing for the perfect integration of contemporary, aesthetic design with the latest technologies and AI. TECNO offers a wide range of smartphones, smart wearables, laptops and tablets, smart gaming, HiOS operating systems and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of “Stop At Nothing,” TECNO is committed to unlocking the newest technologies and AI-powered new experiences for forward-looking individuals, inspiring them to never stop pursuing their best selves and their best futures. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com.
About “100 Portraits of Becoming” by TECNO and Angélica Dass
“100 Portraits of Becoming” is a global portrait project created by TECNO together with internationally recognized artist Angélica Dass. Over two years, it will produce one hundred portraits across five countries — Kenya, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil — pairing Dass’s portrait methodology with TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging technology. Each portrait moves beyond a face to the person behind it — to the lives unfolding across some of the world’s most dynamic markets. One hundred portraits become one hundred ways of seeing humanity — and one growing archive of who we are, told by the people living it. To participate in the portrait project, please visit: https://www.tecno-mobile.com/100portraitsofbecoming/.
