On Thursday, after the August issue of Vogue hit newsstands, well-trained eyes noticed one disturbing detail: an advertisement using an AI model…
In a two-page Guess spread, a model wearing a romper and jewelry from the brand sits at a café with a cup of coffee; on the adjacent page, the same model stands in front of a store, wearing a black-and-white chevron print dress. Typically, whenever I see a Guess advertisement, I just think, Long gone are the days of Anna Nicole Smith as a modern pin-up, then I flip the page.
More discerning readers, however, took a closer look and discovered that the advertisement’s fine print revealed that the campaign was produced by “Seraphinne Vallora on AI.” Seraphinne Vallora, of course, is an agency that creates “editorial level AI-driven marketing campaigns and cinematic videos.” According to its website, Vogue isn’t even its only high-profile client—Elle and Harper’s Bazaar are also listed.
“We want to harness the incredible power of AI to revolutionize marketing images,” a blurb on Seraphinne Valor’s website reads. “We realized that AI offered a cost-effective, hassle-free path to design brilliance.” Yikes.
“No more expensive travel or complicated arrangements, we wanted to make it all accessible, to companies of all sizes,” it adds. “An easy solution to market their companies without the stress and complications.” Just in case it isn’t clear, the “stress and complications” bit is code for the countless jobs held by talented, capable human beings—from models to photographers to production and marketing assistants.
People online swiftly pointed out the ramifications of utilizing AI in fashion magazines. “boycott Vogue NOW! they’re pushing out models for AI, devaluing hard work and art of real people,” tweeted one user. “Vogue the biggest magazine in the world allowed AI in their publication which is going to set a precedent for all the other publications who quietly thought about it but were too scared of public backlash to do the same,” another echoed.
Meanwhile, others also pointed out that Vogue had already begun integrating AI into their strategy years earlier.
“It’s surprising how often people still confuse an ad campaign with a fashion editorial. GUESS paid for those pages. Also worth noting: AI isn’t exactly new to this magazine. Some Vogue editions have already published covers with AI before,” one person tweeted alongside a Vogue China cover from August 2023.
“Vogue Italia & Vogue Portugal have both created AI covers in the past. We can definitely blame them,” another user posted, posting Vogue Portugal’s 20th Anniversary issue.
Frankly, it’s not shocking that, as AI threatens workforces and education systems across the country and beyond, Vogue is an early adopter. Not only does it sit at the nexus of multiple industries, but its parent company, Conde Nast, hasn’t exactly shown that it cares about its employees’ careers or their overall well-being. Let’s also recall 2023 when Levi’s Strauss ran an ad with AI-generated models to improve upon its diversity discrepancies instead of, you know, just hiring more diverse human beings? It was Vogue that all but co-signed that move amid an onslaught of backlash.
As unsurprising as it all might be, it’s terrifying to consider the effects AI advertisements (and AI models!!!) will have on staffers and audiences due to Vogue‘s influence. The expectations forced upon both were already unattainable. Now what? To quote poet Nikita Gill on Blue Sky: “It’s great that we are now a tech oligarchy where the most antisocial tech guys make all the rules for society, the arts and basic human connection. Can’t see how this can possibly go wrong.”
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