AI models in Vogue spark debate

Australia Broadcast Center

6 days ago

Nick Grimm: To the uninitiated, Seraphinne Vallora might sound like the latest supermodel to grace the covers of the world's fashion magazines. But the name actually belongs to an artificial intelligence marketing agency. And when that company's name appeared for the first time in the photo credits of an advert in the glossy pages of Vogue, it set tongues wagging because the seemingly perfect blonde model depicted in the image isn't a real person. So is it the thin edge of the wedge for the fashion industry? Elizabeth Cramsie investigates.
Elizabeth Cramsie: It once would have been unthinkable, but now one of the world's famous glossy magazines contains images of models generated by artificial intelligence.
Damian Woolnough: I think it's inevitable that we will see more AI models blurring the lines between reality and this other world.
Elizabeth Cramsie: That's Damien Woolnough, the fashion editor at The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. He says an ad for fashion brand Guess in Vogue magazine is the latest use of AI to get chins wagging.
Damian Woolnough: It's been happening for some years now. AI models already exist on social media. But the fact that one has appeared in Vogue, albeit in an advertisement, really shows that they are crossing the borders into fashion.
Elizabeth Cramsie: Damien Woolnough says AI technology is moving faster than regulation can keep up with.
Damian Woolnough: Through this, the replacement of makeup teams, hair teams, the whole industry that goes into creating these fantasy beautiful images.
Elizabeth Cramsie: And that's before you even consider push by some for the fashion industry to show a more diverse, realistic range of body types.
Damian Woolnough: The model used in the Guess campaign comes from one particular company. They say they don't have the technology available to create plus-size models, for instance. For them, they did early on have male models or different looks, but the fantasy model style is the one that cut business or customers for after.
Elizabeth Cramsie: As for whether this latest development shows AI is going to wipe out jobs in the modelling industry, not everyone is worried. Martin Walsh is the CEO of the agency Chadwick Models.
Martin Walsh: Generally, what happens is they scan a model on a green screen and then put various garments on them. And so what happens in that situation is they are paid an hourly rate for the scanning, and then they get paid a usage rate, which is part of the industry standard.
Elizabeth Cramsie: He expects the fashion industry to continue using real human beings regardless.
Martin Walsh: Professional models, particularly at our level, who are well-trained and well-experienced and know what they're doing on set and know how to generate an image that represents that garment or that product in the best possible way.
Elizabeth Cramsie: The thought of AI being used to produce images of unattainable perfection has many worried. Melissa Wilton is from the Butterfly Foundation, which works to prevent the harmful impacts of eating disorders.
Melissa Wilton: Our biggest concern with AI-generated models is this perpetuation of the stereotypical or the beauty ideal, which just doesn't exist.
Elizabeth Cramsie: And while it might seem like there's been some progress on these issues over the decades, Melissa Wilton says people are still easily influenced.
Melissa Wilton: It's very difficult to be able to switch off from those and be able to have the maturity and the ability to filter out some of those really problematic images.
Elizabeth Cramsie: Regardless, it seems AI is here to stay in the fashion industry. And fashion editor Damien Woolnough says models are already selling the rights to their images, which could create a big problem with ageing.
Damian Woolnough: AI twins are being created of supermodels that they can use for advertisers but not have to show up. I think that's going to also further complicate the problem moving forward, where a supermodel can stay forever young.
Nick Grimm: Damien Woolnough is fashion editor for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. That report by Elizabeth Cramsie, who's a real person.