Goodbye to real models? This Vogue ad questions the use of AI in fashion.

Artificial intelligence-created models sparked a boom in Spain with the arrival of Aitana López, a sports and gaming enthusiast who was actually created by the company The Clueless. Without a doubt, Aitana created a huge impact on social media due to her realistic appearance, as the combination of her pink hair and her physique caught the attention of thousands of Instagram users. However, this is by no means the only AI-created model. There is already a 19-year-old model named Claudia, who sells erotic photos on OnlyFans , and the model Vivian, who stars in a Guess ad in Vogue magazine .

In the wake of the last model mentioned, in recent days, Vivian has sparked intense controversy in the fashion industry because, in the August issue of American Vogue, she stars in a Guess ad campaign . However, despite the ad including a small caption indicating that the image was created by AI, many readers believed it was a real model .

As we mentioned, the reaction on social media has been immediate. The Objective reports that numerous Vogue subscribers have called the image "disturbing" because it promotes unattainable beauty standards and fails to represent true body diversity. However, Vogue tells TechCrunch that it is a paid advertisement and not editorial content .

On the other hand, it's important to mention that, as TechCrunch describes, the model created by the Seraphinne Vallora agency embodies North American beauty standards: slim, voluptuous, with shiny blonde hair and pink lips . Furthermore, it reopens the eternal debate about the physical requirements demanded of real women in the modeling world. But why are agencies betting on AI models?

Fashion writer Amy Odell tells TechCrunch that “ it’s now much cheaper for brands to use AI models . Brands need a lot of content, and the amount adds up. So if they can save money on their print advertising or their TikTok feed , they will.” Art technologist Paul Mouginot adds that “AI makes it possible to start with a flat product shoot, layer it over a photorealistic virtual model, and even position that model in a coherent environment, producing images that look like genuine fashion editorials .”

Basically, both statements imply that agencies are opting for the use of avatars and virtual models because they are cheaper and the visual results can be believable because they are increasingly versatile . However, the controversy is seen as a turning point in fashion and technology, as it is increasingly difficult to distinguish what is real from what is created by AI.