Global retail behemoth H&M’s announcement that it will create 30 digital clones of real-life models in 2025 has ignited fierce debate. While the company frames the initiative as a forward-thinking collaboration where models retain ownership of their likenesses and earn royalties for AI usage, critics warn it risks exploiting workers in an already precarious industry. UK union leader Paul Fleming of Equity emphasizes the need for enforceable protections: “This needs teeth—strong AI safeguards in contracts and laws to prevent mass job displacement.”
The move comes as fashion brands increasingly embrace AI to cut costs and speed up production. Competitors like Zara’s parent company use AI-generated models for trend testing, while Shein relies on algorithms to churn out viral designs. However, the implications for human workers are stark. Models fear AI could replace costly photoshoots with 24/7 digital labor, exacerbate unrealistic beauty standards, and hollow out cultural expression. American Modeling Association data shows AI already caused a 15% drop in print modeling jobs last year.
Despite these concerns, H&M insists the project prioritizes ethics, claiming models will “potentially work for any brand and get paid on each occasion.” Yet industry figures like supermodel Adut Akech argue “fashion needs human emotion—AI can’t replicate that.” Meanwhile, some workers are adapting by retraining as 3D body-scanning technicians.
Consumers remain divided: some praise AI’s sustainability potential, while others demand transparency and human representation in advertising. As the technology evolves, the question persists: “Will AI models replace human models—or coexist in a new creative landscape?”