Unreal Beauty: The Controversy Surrounding H&M's Use of AI Models in Fashion

H&M Ventures into AI Models: The Controversy Unfolds

Table of Contents

H&M uses AI to form new models. They pair computer code with fashion ideas. The plan brings questions to the market and stokes debate.

The Arrival of Digital Twins

H&M now makes models with computer help. The company forms a copy of a real model. Each model has said yes for their image to be used. H&M will add 30 such models this year. Each digital model can work with other brands. The cost may drop and style may change. Critics see some risks in these close ties.

Industry Responses: A Mixed Bag

Some fans of tech see this as progress. They view the change as a step ahead for the fashion world. Some experts, like Sara Ziff of the Model Alliance, express fears. She warns that the change may cut jobs for real models and for makeup artists and stylists. In an industry with few rights for workers, she says the choice raises hard issues about pay and consent.

Ethical Concerns Surrounding AI Models

A hard matter comes with the age of models. Many models leave work in their mid-twenties because of age bias. A fixed digital age may trap them in set ideas of beauty. This makes one ask why brands do not choose models of all ages instead.

The change also hits buyers. A picture made by code is hard to check. A digital model stays always young. This can push a view of beauty that feels out of reach. Real people already see changed images. Fully digital faces add to these hard comparisons.

A Focus on Diversity and Realism

The world of clothes has grown to include different body types. Yet a report from Vogue Business showed only 0.03% of 8,703 looks had full-size models. This fact shows less room for many forms of beauty now. Critics say modern fashion chases quick gains over true art. Fast trends, run by code, risk the art of self-expression when they make dull copies.

Conclusion

H&M now uses AI in ads. This move opens many talks about what comes next in fashion. The mix of new tech with old ways brings debates on worker rights, true art, and diverse views of beauty. Only time will show how deep these changes run.