LONDON, July 28 — Vogue magazine is facing backlash after publishing an advert featuring an AI-generated model for the first time, raising fresh concerns over unrealistic beauty standards and the future of the modelling industry.
According to the BBC, the controversial image shows a flawless blonde woman modelling a striped maxi dress and a floral playsuit for Guess’s summer collection. A small disclaimer at the corner of the page reveals the model is artificial.
The model, created by AI company Seraphinne Vallora, marks the first time an AI-generated person has appeared in Vogue, though the magazine said the inclusion was purely commercial and not an editorial decision.
Critics, however, say the ad undermines progress towards diversity and inclusivity in fashion, particularly after years of campaigning by real-life models from underrepresented communities.
Felicity Hayward, a plus-size model with more than a decade in the industry, told the BBC the move felt “lazy and cheap”, accusing Guess of either courting controversy or cutting costs without considering the wider implications.
“It’s very disheartening and quite scary,” she said, warning that the use of AI in fashion campaigns could undo years of work to promote greater diversity.
Seraphinne Vallora’s co-founders, Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, said they were approached directly by Guess co-founder Paul Marciano to create AI-generated models. After reviewing 10 drafts, Marciano selected a blonde and a brunette for further development.
While Gonzalez and Petrescu insist the models look realistic and are no different from traditional ads featuring supermodels, they acknowledged that their Instagram portfolio lacks diversity. They claimed that posts featuring AI models with different skin tones did not gain traction.
“We are a business and use images that will create conversation and bring us clients,” Gonzalez was reported as saying.
They also admitted they have not yet created plus-size models, citing technological limitations.
The advert has sparked concern on social media, with one user on X (formerly Twitter) writing, “Wow! As if the beauty expectations weren’t unrealistic enough, here comes AI to make them impossible.”
Vanessa Longley, chief executive of UK eating disorder charity Beat, described the development as “worrying”, telling the BBC that exposure to unrealistic bodies can damage self-esteem and increase the risk of eating disorders.
Former model and tech entrepreneur Sinead Bovell, who wrote a piece in Vogue five years ago warning about the risks of AI replacing real models, said the lack of clear labelling on AI content is “exceptionally problematic”.
“There are young girls getting plastic surgery to look like a face in a filter — and now we’re seeing people who are entirely artificial,” she said.
Vogue, which is often viewed as the pinnacle of the fashion world, has also been criticised for giving legitimacy to the advert by featuring it in print.
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