H&M Is Tapping AI Models. Here’s Why It Could Be Problematic

In this op-ed Teen Vogue's Style Director Alyssa Hardy explores why the use of AI fashion models is getting a mixed reaction in the industry.

Just in case unrealistic beauty standards weren’t prevalent enough in fashion, H&M has decided to double down with something literally unreal. The Swedish retailer is following in the footsteps of its fast fashion competitor Mango, using AI fashion models in some of the brand’s new advertising. According to Business of Fashion, H&M is creating AI dupes of existing models (with their permission) and calling them “digital twins.” The company plans to roll out 30 models this year – notably the models will own their own AI image and use it with others brands not associated with H&M.

The response has been expectedly mixed. While some AI enthusiasts are excited about the possibilities of the technology entering the fashion space, others are pointing out the varying issues that could arise if this practice becomes commonplace. And frankly, the list of potential problems is long.

For starters, there is the question of how it impacts the workforce. Sara Ziff, Executive Director of the Model Alliance, sent out a press release on March 25 highlighting how this could take jobs from not only the models themselves but everyone else working on the ads. “In an industry that has historically been a backwater for workers’ rights, H&M’s new initiative raises critical questions about consent and compensation and has the potential to replace a host of fashion workers – including make-up artists, hair stylists, and other creative artists in our community,” Ziff says.

Plus, for models who are already subject to arbitrary age limits (most models leave the industry by age 25 due, in large part, to ageism), having a duplicate stamped at a particular moment in your young life opens up a host of ethical issues. Sure, you could be paid for your likeness as it's used, but why not hire models at different times in their lives?

A loftier issue of AI models, though, is the impact on the consumer. The use of AI has seeped into virtually every aspect of our lives, and increasingly, it’s hard to detect — possibly even more so when it’s based on a recognizable person like a working model. So far, it’s not clear how these AI models might be manipulated; we know they may be frozen in time, a complicated commentary on aging, but digital models may also be subject to virtual nipping and tucking that thins their frames, smooths out wrinkles, and otherwise alters their bodies to fit into ever narrowing beauty standards. So, while we are already in the habit of comparing ourselves to the unrealistic image on the other side of the screen (images that are often digitally altered anyway), now we have to contend with the fact that the person showing us the latest clothing styles isn’t even real.

This past fashion month, there was a stark lack of body diversity on the runways. According to Vogue Business, of the 8,703 looks shown in 198 shows and presentations, only 0.03% of them were plus size. It’s a clear backslide from any attempts to diversify the industry standards – and reflective of the trends across social media that are prioritizing thinness and whiteness.