AI revolutionizes the world of fashion: ethical opportunities and risks
AI is disrupting the fashion industry, opening up new possibilities for models while raising important ethical questions.
London model Alexsandrah Gondora is experimenting with an original way of pursuing her career: she uses a digital double created by artificial intelligence (AI) to multiply her appearances without having to travel physically. This method, which has become popular in the fashion world, enables models to carry out several photo shoots simultaneously in different parts of the world, a valuable opportunity that facilitates their daily professional life.
Infinite new prospects thanks to AI
For Alexsandrah, the use of a digital avatar offers precious freedom: “She does the hard work so I don’t have to,” she explains to AFP. This virtual double makes it easy for brands and fashion designers to organize virtual shoots, reducing the costs and time required for traditional advertising campaigns.
For example, an advertising campaign for ski goggles in the French Alps, which would normally take several months and cost almost 35,000 euros, can be carried out virtually in just a few days for around 500 euros, according to Artem Kupriyanenko, head of technology company Genera.
Christian Larson, co-founder of Swedish underwear brand CDLP, also used AI to create a glamorous advertising campaign that was impossible to realize in real-life conditions due to budgetary constraints. For him, AI represents “a black hole of infinite options” compared to the limits of traditional photography.
A revolution that worries and divides
While AI generates unprecedented opportunities, it also raises many concerns. Some fear a standardization of beauty criteria and the loss of jobs for professionals such as make-up artists, photographers and real models. AI image generators, such as MidJourney, often produce faces that meet dominant aesthetic criteria, often white and Western, despite promises of inclusivity.
Swedish studio Copy Lab, however, is attempting to counter this trend by using more diverse and realistic databases. Co-founder Carl-Axel Wahlstrom says he deliberately integrates imperfect images to achieve more authentic and varied digital avatars.
Legal and ethical issues surrounding digital avatars
Another crucial aspect concerns image use rights. Alexsandrah Gondora denounces the abusive exploitation of AI models generated from public images without remuneration for the real models. In New York, the ” Fashion Workers Act “, which will come into force this summer, will attempt to regulate these practices, giving models greater control over the use of their image.
For her part, Alexsandrah has complete control over the use of her digital double, from which she earns remuneration. She also collaborates on the development of Shudu Gram, considered the world’s first digital model. Created in 2017, this virtual figure now has over 237,000 followers on Instagram. Shudu recently took part in a collaboration between the MAX&Co brand and designer Richard Quinn, perfectly illustrating the possibilities offered by AI when used ethically.
For Alexsandrah Gondora, the real added value of her digital avatar lies in its timelessness: “There’s no expiration for my AI… it will always stay young, even when I’m old”.
So, while AI does indeed open “certain doors”, it remains essential to rapidly establish a clear regulatory framework to avoid abuses and abuses, while enabling industry to take full advantage of this technological revolution.
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