All the usual (and boring) suspects are freaking out over Vogue’s use of an AI-generated model in its upcoming August issue.
“Nestled between Anne Hathaway’s immaculate image on the cover and editorials covering female leadership in fashion and the representation of women in sports,” reports Forbes, “lies an unassuming two‑page spread for Guess, labelled discretely ‘Produced by Seraphinne Vallora on AI.’”
Then the unfortunate truth arrives for the elite who never thought they’d face the same horrors of automation that have decimated the working class for decades…
“By producing the [Guess] campaign using AI tools, there was no need for a casting director, green room, or a retoucher,” Forbes adds. “In a much shorter space of time than traditional shoots, the AI tools were still used to create a model whose every angle, expression, and shadow conformed to an idealized beauty standard.”
Then came the backlash… “Within hours of the issue’s release, social feeds lit up. Long‑time subscribers announced cancellations; digital forums teemed with the disbelief and outrage of readers who felt somehow duped by this method of image creation.”
Duped, how? Vogue was transparent about the use AI. And that AI model is hot. And hot is hot. And anyone who’s ever seen Scooby-Doo’s Daphne knows something doesn’t have to be real to be hot.
Then there’s this hilarious take from far-left ABC News: “It has sparked significant online controversy, with some claiming it threatens diversity in fashion and reinforces already unattainable beauty standards.”
Oh, I see… So fashion is not about selling clothes or wish-fulfillment or pushing men and women alike to strive for a standard… No, it’s about making the homely feel better about themselves. Maybe y’all shouldn’t be reading Vogue in the first place?
Fact check: The whining will stop nothing. Wherever it’s possible to use AI, y’all need to come to terms and accept the fact that AI is already here, it’s here to stay, and more is coming.
Not only does an AI model not require the expense and hassle of a casting director, green room, and makeup retoucher, an AI model is also not a pain in the ass. She doesn’t run into the bathroom every 30 minutes to snort heroin and puke out her lunch. There are no arguments, no attitude, no expensive hourly clocks running. And the results…? The results speak for themselves. Businesses are not in the business of employment. Businesses are in the business of results, and if the results can be done cheaper and with fewer headaches, then welcome to the future.
This is simply the 21st Century’s form of automation — it’s the latest version of the machine that replaced the guys with the shovels, the machine that spot-welds on the assembly line… Why should artists and white collar workers be exempt?
Not being a futurist, take this with a grain of salt, but my understanding of human nature says that AI will never entirely replace the Real Thing. Part of wish fulfillment is knowing a Marilyn Monroe or Rita Hayworth or Sydney Sweeney or Brad Pitt or Robert Mitchum did/does walk the earth.
Non-humans have been selling products since the beginning of advertising: Tony the Tiger, anyone? The Energizer Bunny…
Honestly, what’s the difference?
John Nolte’ s first and last novel Borrowed Time, is winning five-star raves from everyday readers. You can read an excerpt here and an in-depth review here. Also available in hardcover and on Kindle and Audiobook.
