A new Guess advertisement in Vogue magazine has caused an uproar — not because of the model’s look, but because she isn’t real.
The model, with blonde hair and perfect skin, was made by artificial intelligence (AI). The ad appeared in Vogue’s July issue. While it wasn’t part of Vogue’s editorial content, many readers say that doesn’t matter. To them, Vogue’s approval of the ad signals a larger change in the fashion industry.
Fashion models, writers, and experts told TechCrunch they’re concerned about what this means for jobs, representation, and authenticity.
AI Models Are Cheaper
Many brands now use AI-generated models to save money. It costs a lot to hire real models, photographers, and stylists for thousands of images each year. With AI, a company can create dozens or even hundreds of realistic images quickly and at a lower cost.
“It’s just so much cheaper,” said Amy Odell, a fashion writer. “Brands need a lot of content. AI helps them save.”
Model Sinead Bovell explained that AI is already replacing many “e-commerce” models — people who show off clothing online. These jobs aren’t always glamorous, but they pay the bills for many working models.
Real Models Feel Left Behind
Model Sarah Murray said she felt sad when she saw the first AI model in a Levi’s ad back in 2023. She worries AI is taking jobs away from human models, especially those from underrepresented groups.
“If brands really wanted diversity, they could just hire diverse models,” she said. “Instead, they use fake ones.”
Bovell calls this “robot cultural appropriation” — when brands use AI to create models with different races or identities without hiring real people from those groups.
Legal and Ethical Questions Are Growing
Some models worry that companies will use their faces to train AI systems without permission. Groups like the Model Alliance are pushing for new laws to protect models’ digital rights.
Still, some see opportunity. If done fairly, AI avatars could let top models appear in more places — and earn more — without always traveling.
But many fear that when AI replaces humans, only a few people benefit while most lose out.
Are AI Models Here to Stay?
Fashion experts say the use of AI is still in a test phase. Claudia Wagner, a modeling platform founder, said the Guess ad didn’t feel groundbreaking — it felt like a brand trying to stay trendy.
Still, data suggests AI content is working. One fully AI-generated ad went viral on TikTok, bringing more sales despite lots of negative comments.
Some brands may move fully to AI. Others may use real people and license their images for digital use. Some may avoid AI altogether.
But many in the industry agree: Vogue’s decision to publish an ad with an AI model is a turning point.
“What Vogue does matters,” said Odell. “If they use AI in editorials next, it could become normal — just like when Vogue embraced celebrities like Kim Kardashian. After that, everyone followed.”
