Advertisement from Vogue's AI inducing potential harm we hadn't foreseen
In August 2025, Vogue made history by featuring an AI model in a Guess advertisement, marking the first time a fully artificial person graced the pages of the iconic magazine [1]. This groundbreaking event followed earlier experiments with AI in other Vogue editions, but its introduction in the American market was unprecedented [2].
The AI model, created by Seraphinne Vallora, a renowned AI-driven marketing agency, showcased a smiling blonde model posing in various sunny scenes [1]. The advertisement, a two-page spread in the August edition, sparked significant debate and backlash.
Critics argue that AI-generated models contribute to unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards due to their perfect and digitally constructed appearances. This, they claim, can be harmful culturally and psychologically [1]. There are also concerns about job displacement among human models and ethical questions around AI’s role in creative industries.
The collaboration behind the Guess campaign involved Seraphinne Vallora creating multiple AI model prototypes over about a month, charging six-figure fees for major clients [1][3]. The public and industry reactions have ranged from outrage and calls to boycott Vogue subscriptions to broader discussions on AI ethics in fashion, including regulatory concerns about AI's normalization and societal impact.
The Vogue AI model case has intensified debates about authenticity, creativity, and economic consequences for human talent in fashion. It reflects a turning point for AI’s role in this traditionally very human-centered industry [1][3][4].
Despite concerns about the use of AI in creative sectors, the continued creation of human-made artwork gives hope that a balance can be struck between man-made creativity and artificial intelligence. The use of AI in advertising, including by Vogue, is spreading to various creative sectors such as graphic design and the film industry.
In summary, Vogue’s first U.S. AI model appearance was in a Guess advertisement in August 2025, created by Seraphinne Vallora [1]. The usage follows earlier AI involvement in other Vogue editions but is unprecedented in the American market [2]. The impact has been controversial, raising ethical debates on beauty standards, employment, and creative originality [1][3]. The case exemplifies broader tensions in fashion regarding AI adoption and its regulation [1].
This development represents a significant milestone in fashion’s integration of AI technologies, with ongoing implications for the industry’s future.
- The AI model, a creation of Seraphinne Vallora's AI-driven marketing agency, made its debut in the fashion world by posing in a Guess advertisement in Vogue's August edition, marking a historical moment for artificial intelligence in the creative field of fashion-and-beauty.
- The advertisement, featuring a digitally constructed blonde model, sparked intense debate about the potential harmful effects on cultural and psychological standards of beauty due to unrealistic appearances.
- Critics also raised concerns about job displacement among human models and ethical questions about AI's role in the creative industries, particularly in the realm of UI, UX, and graphic design.
- The collaboration between Vogue and Seraphinne Vallora, who charged significant fees for major clients, resulted in the AI model's six-figure appearance in two pages of the magazine.
- The ensuing public and industry reactions varied greatly; while some called for boycotts of Vogue subscriptions, others focused on broader discussions about AI ethics in fashion and society.
- The integration of AI technology into the fashion industry, as demonstrated by Vogue's AI model, not only intensifies debates about authenticity and creative originality but also presents complex regulatory challenges for the future of this traditionally human-centric industry.
