When AI replaces models

By scanning each model’s body and face (including moles and birthmarks) and processing the images through an AI system, H&M plans to create thirty digital twins in 2025. The brand is proud of the project, but it raises some questions even within the company. In an interview with BoF, H&M’s business developer Louise Lundquist stated, «It could potentially influence the way we produce content, but I can’t say exactly how.» Additionally, it is still unclear how the models involved will be compensated. From a logistical standpoint, the innovation has many advantages: it eliminates expenses like location rentals, makeup artists, and photographers, reducing costs; there’s no need for physical travel, which lowers the campaign’s environmental impact; and production times shrink (a digital twin is unlikely to need a coffee break).Following the strike at New York Fashion Week on September 9, 2024, and the U.S. government’s approval, the Fashion Workers Act will take effect in June. The unauthorised use of models’ digital images by fashion brands is still a hot topic. A project like H&M’s digital twins, though not yet perfected, could help address this issue turning AI from an exploitative machine into a platform that allows models not only to control their own image but also to supplement their income. By minimising the “human error” factor, fashion campaigns become a perfect expression. Except that fashion is not comparable to mathematics.

While it’s understandable that the general public might recoil upon discovering that the models they see aren’t real but AI-generated, within the fashion industry opinions are deeply divided. Donald Braho, Head of Men’s Division at Milanese modeling agency Wonderwall, explains: «Some approach it with interest, seeing it as a creative opportunity, while others are completely against it.» Though AI-driven fashion campaigns might undermine the artistry of human work, Braho notes that the industry is already in a creative crisis: «From the overuse of archives to the disappearance of true artistic direction. Just look at the major brands’ campaigns—almost all set against white backgrounds—to see the lack of new ideas.» For Braho, AI and 3D technology, if used as tools for digital set design, represent significant innovation provided there are regulations to protect both agencies and consumers. As for image rights, he emphasizes that they are still managed by agencies. «That said, with careful management and fair compensation agreements, anything is possible.»

For casting director Emma Farachi, the situation is quite different. She recalls the first time she saw an AI-generated campaign, a moment that shocked her, particularly due to the precision of the details. Despite her initial surprise, she has never considered integrating AI into her work. «I’ve never discussed it with my colleagues, maybe because AI still doesn’t seem that relevant in modeling. If more and more models start getting replaced, I’ll definitely have that conversation.» Farachi explains that in 2025, a casting director’s job is primarily about finding unique personalities and striking looks, which would explain why she doesn’t see why a campaign would use a model lacking both. Since generating an AI image requires extremely specific prompts, the technology could end up being counterproductive. «Creating people with AI assumes that models have no soul and are easily replaceable—nothing could be further from the truth,» she adds. «More often than not, it’s the personality that makes the difference, not just physical appearance.» Her comments highlight that while AI-generated models may benefit a fast fashion brand like H&M, which seeks quick and cost-effective campaigns, when it comes to high-fashion runways or editorial shoots with strong artistic direction, the balance of pros and cons shifts decidedly against digital twins. «You’d have to already know what kind of imperfection you’re looking for. It would be insane to plan people like this.»

While casting agencies and fashion management remain divided over H&M’s digital twins, caught between the pros and cons of an industry forced to keep up with the times, model Elda Scarnecchia brings up another crucial aspect of the debate. «What I didn’t expect was the support that digital twins are receiving from the models themselves.» Though fairly compensated for their participation in the project, the models don’t seem concerned about the impact such campaigns might have on the rest of the industry. «No one is talking about the entire team of artists who can now be replaced by AI without any compensation,» Scarnecchia points out. She acknowledges that AI’s entry into modeling was inevitable, predictable, even, but insists that fashion is more than just commercial content. «It’s a communion of ideas, experimentation, a collective creative process. But I’m starting to fear that this is the future we’re heading toward.»