In a Hacker News discussion thread, users explore reasons behind the shiny and glossy appearance of AI-generated images. Contributors suggest that default styles of popular AI models such as DALL-E and Stable Diffusion tend to exhibit a photorealistic glossiness, though customization is possible. Others consider it a result of aesthetic preference and airbrushing effects to mask imperfections, while some speculate about the potential intentional distinctive look for AI-generated images.