LET'S TALK AI

Recently, H&M made global headlines with the announcement of using AI models in their campaign and while they made a clear effort to do this ethically through engaging the real life models and their agents in the creative process it sparked a massive conversation around the impacts of increased use of AI on the wider creative industry. 

It got us thinking - AI is clearly here to stay so what does it mean for the future of the creative industry? Is there a world where AI and creatives can be in harmony? 

AI in fashion, beauty & lifestyle brands.

One of the first AI influencers to make headlines was Miquela Sousa (@lilmiquela), who first appeared back in 2016 when AI was definitely a little less mainstream. Amassing over 2 million followers and worth an estimated $100 million, she’s worked with everyone from Calvin Klein (that kiss with Bella Hadid), Prada, Samsung and everyone in between -  she’s even released music. Now there are so many influencers and even dedicated agencies representing them - Shudu, Imma, Aitana Lopez, Bermuda. According to a report from Gartner the ‘digital human economy’ will be a $125 billion market by 2035 (Gartner).

Image source: @lilmiquela

Beyond the AI influencers, brands are dipping their toes in the water (or jumping head first) receiving mixed reactions - some curious, but mostly criticism. In 2023 Levi’s announced that they would be using AI generated models in partnership with Lalaland.ai for their e-comm by developing a range of AI models to show their products on a range of body types and ethnicities in the hopes of fostering a more inclusive shopping experience. Many critics branded the move as a ‘lazy’ approach to D&I prompting Levi’s to respond saying that the announcement was never meant to be a means to ‘advance diversity’ or ‘substitute’ it, and that there were never plans to roll back live photo shoots but use AI as a means to increase efficiencies and increase diversity on site. (The Independent).

In 2024, Mango incorporated AI-generated replicas into their advertising campaigns which contributed to record revenues with the CEO claiming it’s about ‘faster content creation’. In a quote to Financial Times, Moreno spoke about how this was ‘an excellent example of teamwork between human handcrafted intelligence and digital intelligence’ - emphasis on how human touch is integral to the creative process and ultimate output of AI generated imagery (New York Post).

1. Mango Sunset Dream Campaign (Image source Mango Fashion Group)

2. Levi's x Lalaland.ai (Image source Guardian c/o Levi's)

3. H&M Digital Twins (Image source Business of Fashion c/o H&M)

So what about the ethical dilemmas being raised?

No matter which side you sit, there are some very real challenges being raised:

• AI replacing creative jobs: if brands are using AI models instead of physical shoots, it means that there is a flow on impact to the creative industry including make-up artists, photographers, hair stylists, even caterers, who are losing out on the opportunity to work. 

• Transparency: Currently, there are no strict laws around whether a brand (or digital influencer) needs to openly say that it is AI generated. While the Government has released a set of AI Ethics Principles to encourage transparency and disclosure, these are voluntary. 

• Creativity: Relying on AI for creative tasks risks diminishing the originality and eye of genuine creatives leading to largely uninspired or a sea of the same content. 

Brands need to ensure that they are taking a considered approach when exploring and experimenting with AI, not just simply jumping on the bandwagon.. H&M’s approach by working directly with the models and agencies, is a smart and more ethical starting point. 

So where does it leave us? 

We are definitely excited by innovation and the opportunities that AI brings with it, but we believe in embracing it through the lens of education, speaking with industry leaders, and ensuring that decisions are considered and well thought out.

At the end of the day, there is no doubt that AI can create efficiencies and streamline work flow but for all the uncertainty of what is to come with AI within the creative industry - Eugene Healy put it the best when he said AI will never have something that true creatives have….

and that is taste.