How AI is Revolutionizing Professional Headshots with Marco Jak from Secta

The Birth of AI Headshots

Have you ever struggled to get a good professional headshot? Maybe you paid hundreds of dollars for a photoshoot but only liked a few of the pictures. Or perhaps you've been using that same LinkedIn photo from your cousin's wedding for the past five years.

Well, there's a new solution that's changing everything about how we create professional images. In our latest Using AI at Work podcast episode, we sat down with Marco Jak, founder of Secta Labs. If you haven't heard of Secta, they're quickly becoming the category king for AI-generated headshots and professional images for social media and personal branding.

Marco's journey into AI started back in 2014 when he used it to solve a hiring problem. Even when the technology was rough, he saw its potential: "I think what maybe set me apart from everyone else is even if it was really bad at the time, I would still see what the potential could be," Marco explained. "All technology improves over time."

The breakthrough came in 2022 when Marco's wife asked for a LinkedIn headshot. That moment changed everything. Within weeks, Secta was generating headshots, and today, they've produced over 22.5 million images.

From Toy to Tool

In the early days, Secta’s AI looked more like a toy than a professional solution. "At the beginning it looks like a toy because the quality is bad," Marco noted. "But that quality is improving so fast."

Initially, 20% of customers were asking for refunds, but Marco viewed this as critical feedback. They've since refined their tech to deliver stunning headshots in under an hour, so convincing people can't tell they're AI-generated.

Disrupting the Photography Industry

Traditional headshots are expensive, time-consuming, and rigid. AI is flipping that on its head. Marco explains: "In the area where you just want the output, that's the key thing with AI. The ability for AI to just give you the final output is just getting quicker, better. Cost, time, and quality all three are improving at the same time."

Photography won't disappear, people will always want pictures at weddings and emotional events. But for functional needs like a professional image, AI is often faster, cheaper, and more effective.

How Secta Works

Secta uses cutting-edge image models like Stable Diffusion from Stability AI and then builds robust systems around them. As Marco joked, "Everyone in the space will try to pretend like they have their own model. The reality is that there are frontier models in the image space."

What makes Secta different is how they enhance user experience:

• Upload selection: Intelligent systems help choose the best images to process

• Face alignment: Automatic centering and cropping for optimal clarity

• Editing tools: Easily adjust smiles, glasses, hair, and more

This results in a gallery of hundreds of personalized AI photos users can choose from.

The Future of AI Images

Marco and his team are pushing toward incredible use cases:

• Enhancing real photos (open eyes, change outfits)

• Generating group images

• Creating headshots from a single image

• Virtual try-ons and environmental backgrounds

"The trend with AI is this compression of the task," Marco said. "The tasks have always stayed the same – I need a picture for a conference or for my family, but AI is compressing the time and effort needed."

The AI Business Landscape

According to Marco, we’re entering an era where app building is democratized. "In the next 5 years, I predict that the cost of building an app will be $20 in an afternoon. You’ll be able to prompt it ‘build me a Slack clone’ and there you have Slack."

That means lots of competition and opportunity. Secta already has hundreds of competitors. Their response? Prioritize quality and customer care. "We always gave back the money... I’ve always just cared that the person has a good experience."

Lessons for AI Entrepreneurs

Marco shared important lessons for building in AI:

1. Be willing to cannibalize your own business: Keep evolving. Don’t get stuck defending outdated products.

2. Focus on what the customer truly needs: Behind every complaint is a deeper emotional or functional need.

3. Stay curious and open: Track breakthroughs. When a new capability emerges, experiment with it.

4. Start before you're ready: "You have to be prepared to make bad work - a bad first draft, a bad first app."

Try It Yourself

If you're using an outdated profile picture or frustrated by traditional headshot processes, try Secta for yourself. With just a few uploads, you can get hundreds of professional-quality portraits delivered in less than an hour.

As Marco reminds us, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

FAQ

Are AI headshots as good as professional photography?
For many purposes, yes. The quality is good enough that many people can’t tell the difference.

How long does it take to get AI headshots from Secta?
You can receive your full image gallery within an hour of uploading your photos.

How much control do I have over my AI headshots?
Secta provides hundreds of variations and editing tools to customize expressions, accessories, and more.

Will AI replace professional photographers?
For some practical uses, yes. But for events and experience-driven photography, humans will still be essential.

What’s next for AI image generation?
Expect one-image headshots, enhanced editing, group shots, and more realistic outputs. The pace of innovation is staggering.