Digital models are fashion's latest nightmare
A model and a journalist sit down to discuss the implications of H&M’s AI ‘digital twins’.
Welcome to AI’m Scared, a series in which we explore the impact – good and bad – of AI on fashion and the creative industries.
The other day, H&M announced it would start using AI replicas of models in its adverts and on social media. Trying to lessen the impact of such a controversial decision, the company coined the expression “digital twin” and emphasised that each IRL model will retain the rights to their digital replicas. Though a cute nickname and the endorsement of a handful of models might help reassure some, for those in the business of fashion image creation – the photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists, producers, set designers, lighting experts and so forth – the announcement came at a moment when anxiety was already sky high regarding the future of their craft.
Writing for his Substack Dot Dot Dot, journalist and strategist Christopher Morency broke down the dangerous ramifications of H&M’s decisions. “Here’s the thing: The teams that keep the lights on. Fashion’s invisible middle class. AI doesn’t just threaten their jobs. It deletes the need for them. So no. These brand examples aren’t just brands playing with a new toy. This is a creative line being crossed. Because when you remove the people behind the image, you don’t just lose the job. You lose the soul.”
As part of this essay, Christopher interviewed model Ben Allen, who shared these concerns about AI creeping into his line of work. Here, we’re publishing the conversation between the pair in full, which gives shape to some of our biggest questions on the subject:
Could embracing digital twins inadvertently erase decades of diversity efforts, reverting fashion to a sterile, homogeneous landscape?
What critical risks do models unknowingly accept when signing their likeness to brands?
And are they inadvertently sealing their professional fate?
Have a read below, and check out Dot Dot Dot while you’re at it.