Co-created by TECNO and acclaimed visual artist Angélica Dass, the two-year global initiative will capture 100 authentic portraits across five countries, exploring identity, dignity and representation in the age of artificial intelligence.

NAIROBI, Kenya – 6 July 2026 – As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes how people are seen and represented, TECNO is asking a fundamental question: How can technology reflect humanity in all its diversity and complexity?

Driven by the belief that technology should help the world see people more truthfully, TECNO has partnered with Brazilian-Spanish visual artist Angélica Dass to launch “100 Portraits of Becoming,” a two-year global initiative that begins in Nairobi, Kenya, before travelling to four other countries.

The project aims to create a living archive of 100 authentic portraits and personal stories from people around the world. Each portrait will celebrate individuality while encouraging a global conversation about identity, dignity and authentic representation in an era increasingly influenced by AI.

The collaboration combines TECNO’s inclusive imaging technology with Dass’s human-centred approach to portraiture, reinforcing a shared commitment to representing people fairly and authentically.

“Every image shapes assumptions about who matters and how people are understood. That makes fair and accurate representation increasingly important in the AI era,” said Jack Guo, General Manager at TECNO.

“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.”

Angélica Dass said the initiative gives people the opportunity to tell their own stories.

“As a photographer, I have always believed that photography can become a channel through which people communicate who they are. ‘100 Portraits of Becoming’ creates that space, allowing people to speak for themselves and be seen on their own terms.”

She added that her work has always focused on creating space for people to exist beyond assumptions rather than simply documenting physical appearance.

“Being visible is not the same as being understood. True recognition begins when we are seen as we really are.”

Celebrating Humanity Beyond Skin Tone

The partnership builds naturally on Dass’s internationally recognised work exploring the relationship between identity, culture and representation.

Best known for her award-winning Humanæ portrait series, Dass has challenged conventional ideas about race by demonstrating that skin tones are reflections of individual identity rather than rigid categories.

Her work has been presented at the World Economic Forum, UNESCO, the Migration Museum in London and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, while her TED Talk on skin and identity has attracted more than two million views worldwide.

A Living Archive Across Five Countries

Beginning in Kenya, Dass will photograph 100 individuals across five countries. Participants will register through a dedicated global website before being photographed in natural light, without filters, and wearing clothing of their own choice to preserve authenticity.

Beyond the portrait itself, every participant will share a personal story describing the experiences that have shaped who they are.

Together, the portraits and stories will form a digital Living Archive, creating a permanent platform where people from different cultures and backgrounds can be seen, heard and understood beyond stereotypes.

Powered by TECNO Universal Tone Technology

The portraits will be captured using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, powered by TECNO Universal Tone, the company’s AI-powered skin tone imaging technology.

Recognising that many traditional imaging systems have struggled to accurately represent the full diversity of human skin tones, TECNO developed Universal Tone to improve fairness and authenticity in mobile photography.

Launched in 2023, the technology incorporates an industry-leading skin-tone database and a colour calibration system covering 372 distinct skin tones, enabling more accurate representation across diverse complexions.

Rather than adjusting subjects to fit conventional imaging standards, Universal Tone seeks to capture every individual with greater accuracy, dignity and authenticity.

Why Kenya?

The initiative begins in Kenya because of the country’s reputation as one of Africa’s leading innovation hubs and home to one of the world’s youngest populations.

Often referred to as the “Silicon Savannah,” Kenya continues to shape the future through entrepreneurship, technological innovation and creativity. Yet global narratives do not always reflect the country’s full diversity and lived experiences.

The inaugural portraits feature entrepreneurs, farmers, artists, dancers and everyday creators whose stories challenge stereotypes and highlight the richness of Kenyan society.

“People are always quick to tell you what you are and where you fit,” said Kenyan participant Alexander Odhiambo, co-founder of Solutech Limited.

“I stopped waiting for that. The story that counts is the one I’m writing myself.”

Following Kenya, the project will travel to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Brazil over the next two years.

The first portraits and stories will be published online in early August, marking the beginning of a global campaign that seeks to redefine how technology sees—and how the world understands—humanity.

Through one technology, five countries and 100 unique stories, “100 Portraits of Becoming” aims to demonstrate that the future of imaging is not only about seeing more, but understanding more.