Clothing Industry Wonders about Effect of AI on Models
2024-04-20
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1Alexsandrah is a fashion model in London. She has a twin.
2But her twin is not her sister.
3The twin is a product of Artificial Intelligence, or AI.
4Whenever Alexsandrah is not available to work with a photographer, the virtual twin takes her place.
5When a company chooses to use the AI Alexsandrah, the real-life version gets paid. Alexsandrah said her AI twin is exactly like her.
6Alexandrah's twin is an example of how computer images are influencing creative industries.
7Those in favor of using AI in fashion say the virtual models permit companies to show possible buyers how their clothing looks on people of all shapes and sizes.
8In the real world, it would be difficult and costly to find a model for every skin color and body shape.
9The companies that make clothing say using AI prevents people from buying their products, trying them on at home, and then sending them back if they dislike them.
10The problem is that AI models can take work away from human models, makeup artists and photographers.
11The fashion industry has often been criticized for using models who are only white or tall or who fit one idea of beauty.
12Activists for including many groups in fashion say some companies could seem like they are employing minorities when they are just using AI models.
13Sara Ziff is a former fashion model who started Model Alliance, a nonprofit group for workers' rights in the fashion industry.
14Ziff said the use of AI shows there is a difference between the industry's words and its actions.
15Levi Strauss is an American clothing company known for its blue jeans.
16In March 2023, the company said it would be testing AI-generated models from a company in Amsterdam.
17The aim was to show how its clothing fit people of all sizes. But after criticism, the company said it would not reduce its use of human models.
18Levi Strauss said it would not "substitute" AI for action toward its "diversity, equity and inclusion goals."
19The Associated Press (AP) recently asked some clothing businesses to state their position on the use of AI models.
20AP asked Target, Kohls, Nieman Marcus, Walmart and Macys.
21It also asked international companies Temu, Shein and H&M.
22Some chose not to answer.
23Others said they do not use AI models.
24Walmart said it does not use AI models but "suppliers may have a different approach to photography."
25Lalaland.ai creates AI models.
26Michael Musandu started the company.
27Musandu grew up in Africa and studied in the Netherlands.
28He started the company when he saw that not many models looked like him - Black and African.
29"One model does not represent everyone that's actually shopping and buying a product," he said.
30"As a person of color, I felt this painfully myself."
31Musandu said he is seeing a demand for his services, but his product is designed to supplement traditional photography not replace it.
32The goal is to help a buyer make better decisions and reduce product returns and waste.
33In addition, he said, the company creates new jobs for computer programmers, who train the systems that create the models.
34"If brands are serious about inclusion efforts, they will continue to hire these models of color," Musandu said.
35Others in the fashion industry are fully using AI.
36Cameron Wilson is a former fashion photographer who started a company in Britain called The Diigitals.
37Wilson, who is white, designed a Black, female model named Shudu in 2017.
38Wilson was criticized for creating a Black model.
39But Shudu was used in jobs for companies like Louis Vuitton and BMW.
40It also helped the human model Alexsandrah.
41She has worked in fashion shows as a real-life version of the AI model.
42Alexsandrah said she is proud of her work that has come from The Diigitals.
43"The future generations can look back at and be like, 'These are the pioneers,'" she said.
44Other models are not feeling so good about AI.
45Yve Edmond works as a "fit model."
46She tries on clothes for companies who want to see how their designs fit a real person.
47She worries that the AI modeling companies are using images and videos of real people to train their systems.
48She calls that a violation because humans are not being paid for their part in the technology.
49Edmond said she was called for a photo session, but there were no new clothes.
50She was asked to move her body in certain ways and walk for a recording. The client said it was "research."
51Edmond said she felt "swindled."
52Unlike film actors and writers, who went on strike to protest the use of AI without a legal agreement, there are no similar labor groups for models.
53Ziff, of Model Alliance, is pushing for labor laws for fashion workers.
54The state of New York is working on the Fashion Workers Act.
55The law would include laws related to models who are used in AI.
56A model would need to give written permission to a company that planned to use AI to create a computer image of the model.
57The contract would show the pay rate and the length of time that the replica could be used.
58For AI and the fashion business, it is still early.
59Ziff compared it to a time of lawlessness in the early American West.
60Alexsandrah said she believes AI is helping her career-with the right rules.
61But Edmond is not so sure about AI.
62She said Earth has "a person of every shade, every height, every size. Why not find that person and compensate that person?"
63I'm Dan Friedell. And I'm Gena Bennett.
1Alexsandrah is a fashion model in London. She has a twin. 2But her twin is not her sister. 3The twin is a product of Artificial Intelligence, or AI. 4Whenever Alexsandrah is not available to work with a photographer, the virtual twin takes her place. 5When a company chooses to use the AI Alexsandrah, the real-life version gets paid. Alexsandrah said her AI twin is exactly like her. 6Alexandrah's twin is an example of how computer images are influencing creative industries. 7Those in favor of using AI in fashion say the virtual models permit companies to show possible buyers how their clothing looks on people of all shapes and sizes. In the real world, it would be difficult and costly to find a model for every skin color and body shape. 8The companies that make clothing say using AI prevents people from buying their products, trying them on at home, and then sending them back if they dislike them. The problem is that AI models can take work away from human models, makeup artists and photographers. 9Criticism of the fashion industry 10The fashion industry has often been criticized for using models who are only white or tall or who fit one idea of beauty. Activists for including many groups in fashion say some companies could seem like they are employing minorities when they are just using AI models. 11Sara Ziff is a former fashion model who started Model Alliance, a nonprofit group for workers' rights in the fashion industry. Ziff said the use of AI shows there is a difference between the industry's words and its actions. 12Levi Strauss is an American clothing company known for its blue jeans. In March 2023, the company said it would be testing AI-generated models from a company in Amsterdam. The aim was to show how its clothing fit people of all sizes. But after criticism, the company said it would not reduce its use of human models. 13Levi Strauss said it would not "substitute" AI for action toward its "diversity, equity and inclusion goals." 14The Associated Press (AP) recently asked some clothing businesses to state their position on the use of AI models. AP asked Target, Kohls, Nieman Marcus, Walmart and Macys. It also asked international companies Temu, Shein and H&M. Some chose not to answer. Others said they do not use AI models. Walmart said it does not use AI models but "suppliers may have a different approach to photography." 15Lalaland.ai creates AI models. Michael Musandu started the company. Musandu grew up in Africa and studied in the Netherlands. He started the company when he saw that not many models looked like him - Black and African. 16"One model does not represent everyone that's actually shopping and buying a product," he said. "As a person of color, I felt this painfully myself." 17Musandu said he is seeing a demand for his services, but his product is designed to supplement traditional photography not replace it. The goal is to help a buyer make better decisions and reduce product returns and waste. 18In addition, he said, the company creates new jobs for computer programmers, who train the systems that create the models. 19"If brands are serious about inclusion efforts, they will continue to hire these models of color," Musandu said. 20Industry pioneers 21Others in the fashion industry are fully using AI. Cameron Wilson is a former fashion photographer who started a company in Britain called The Diigitals. Wilson, who is white, designed a Black, female model named Shudu in 2017. Wilson was criticized for creating a Black model. But Shudu was used in jobs for companies like Louis Vuitton and BMW. It also helped the human model Alexsandrah. She has worked in fashion shows as a real-life version of the AI model. 22Alexsandrah said she is proud of her work that has come from The Diigitals. "The future generations can look back at and be like, 'These are the pioneers,'" she said. 23Other models are not feeling so good about AI. Yve Edmond works as a "fit model." She tries on clothes for companies who want to see how their designs fit a real person. She worries that the AI modeling companies are using images and videos of real people to train their systems. She calls that a violation because humans are not being paid for their part in the technology. 24Edmond said she was called for a photo session, but there were no new clothes. She was asked to move her body in certain ways and walk for a recording. The client said it was "research." Edmond said she felt "swindled." 25Unlike film actors and writers, who went on strike to protest the use of AI without a legal agreement, there are no similar labor groups for models. 26Ziff, of Model Alliance, is pushing for labor laws for fashion workers. The state of New York is working on the Fashion Workers Act. The law would include laws related to models who are used in AI. A model would need to give written permission to a company that planned to use AI to create a computer image of the model. The contract would show the pay rate and the length of time that the replica could be used. 27For AI and the fashion business, it is still early. Ziff compared it to a time of lawlessness in the early American West. Alexsandrah said she believes AI is helping her career-with the right rules. But Edmond is not so sure about AI. 28She said Earth has "a person of every shade, every height, every size. Why not find that person and compensate that person?" 29I'm Dan Friedell. And I'm Gena Bennett. 30Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English from a report by Claire Savage for the Associated Press. 31____________________________________________ 32Words in This Story 33fashion -adj. related to the industry of making clothes and appealing to people who want to buy clothing 34twin -n. one of two babies who are born at the same time and often look like on another; an exact copy of something else 35virtual -adj. related to something stored digitally on a computer 36makeup -n. beauty products for the face 37diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) -n. ideas held by many different kinds of people who say they aim to make society equal through political, social and economic actions 38supplement -n. something that adds to an existing product, industry or other form of activity 39pioneer -n. a person who goes to a new place or does something in a way that has never been seen before 40swindle -v. to cheat a person of something valuable 41replica -n. an exact copy 42compensate-v. to pay someone using methods that can include but are not limited to money 43We want to hear from you. Do you think about whether the models you see online or in catalogs are real people or AI? Does it concern you?