Fashion models pushed to the side as AI glam bots take over: ‘It’s about faster content creation’

Meet the faces of the future.

Add fashion model to the list of jobs threatened by the rise of artificial intelligence, as labels rush to employ the disruptive and controversial technology in their glossy ads — a move that appears to have at least one major brand reaping record profits.

Fast fashion retailer Mango became one of the first to feature AI-generated glam bots in its adverts back in July — just days before the company reported the highest revenues in four decades.

“It’s about faster content creation,” Mango CEO Toni Ruiz told Bloomberg.

This month, the company launched another AI-generated campaign for teens, and Ruiz said that in the future, the company plans to use the unreal beauties for all of their collections.

Mango is among of the growing number of companies creating a new normal in advertising, in an industry that is worth $2.5 trillion. Bloomberg named Nike, Louis Vuitton and Levi Strauss & Co. as some of the clothing brands now embracing the idea.

According to an early 2024 report by the outlet, AI models cost a fraction of what humans bill. A real-life model could charge $35 an hour, per one example, while an agency can charge $29 per month to use their computer-generated lookalikes.

Industry experts argue that AI can aid in the design process in order to innovate — despite backlash faced by other designers who have implemented artificial intelligence in the creation process.

According to Glossy, Mango has been investing in next-gen technology for years, creating machine learning platforms to be used in different facets of the company to boost efficiency.

The in-house engineering team collaborated with the machines to compile a “cohesive mood board” to reflect the desired aesthetic before being “trained” using a set of images for each outfit, Jordi Álex Moreno, Mango’s chief technology information officer, told Bloomberg.

Countering criticism of the shift away from real life, Moreno said Mango has short-term plans to double its current workforce, as the company has its sights set on opening more than 30 new storefronts by the end of next year.

“It is an excellent example of teamwork between human handcrafted intelligence and digital intelligence,” Moreno told the Financial Times. “AI should serve as a co-pilot to amplify our employees’ capabilities and creativity, speeding up repetitive tasks so teams can spend more time on value-added work.”

Marco De Vincenzo, creative director for Italian luxury brand Etro, appeared similarly enthused regarding AI’s role in the business — he used the new medium to create images for the spring 2024 campaign that showed stunning models in unbelievable scenery straight out of a sci-fi film.

“From a creative point of view, it was amazing,” De Vincenzo told the Financial Times, although he emphasized that “the human touch” is still an important aspect of the creative process.

“It’s modifying reality, but that’s what every creative [person] tries to do. It’s our job to try to escape and experiment, every day. Sometimes reality is not enough.”

He added: “AI is just a new method to express creativity. Why not use it?”