Fashion giant H&M plans to use AI clones of its human models. Not everyone is happy

(CNN) — Fashion giant H&M plans to create digital clones of its models this year, raising more questions for an industry grappling with both the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on workers.

H&M, one of the world’s largest clothing retailers, told CNN it plans to create 30 “digital twins” of its models this year, though it is still “exploring” how these avatars will be used. It added that it is working with others in the industry, like agencies and the models themselves, to carry out this initiative in “a responsible way.”

The models would own the rights to their digital twin, “potentially work for any brand and get paid on each occasion just like on any campaign production,” the company said.

While this pledge to pay models for their likeness was welcomed by Paul W. Fleming, general secretary for the UK’s performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity, he told CNN in a statement that it must be “backed up by the widespread adoption of AI protections in union agreements and legislation that protects workers’ right,” of which he said few exist.

“The race to ‘innovate’ in the area of artificial intelligence must also not be a race to the bottom to increase profits,” he added. “Artificial intelligence would not be possible without human artistry and labour, and humans should remain at the centre of creative endeavours.”

H&M’s announcement has already sparked some backlash within the fashion industry, where the careers of many workers are already precarious.

Sara Ziff, a model turned labor activist who founded the New York-based non-profit organization Model Alliance, said she had “serious concerns about the use of digital replicas without meaningful protections in place.”

“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 said in a statement released by the Model Alliance.

H&M is not the first brand to explore using these technologies. Jeans-maker Levi Strauss & Co. announced in March 2023 that it would use AI-generated models to “supplement human models.” It later clarified that “we are not scaling back our plans for live photo shoots,” after intense criticism.

In July last year, Spanish brand Mango launched a campaign generated entirely by AI to promote a new collection of its youth range.

Meanwhile, influencers and models created by AI are becoming increasingly common; there was even the world’s first-ever AI beauty pageant last year.

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