H&M Introduces AI-Generated Digital Twins of Models for Marketing

H&M to use digital clones of models in ads and social media

Fashion retailer H&M is to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create digital "twins" of 30 models. It says it will use the AI doppelgangers in some social media posts and marketing in the place of humans, if given permission by models. "We are curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways - and embrace the benefits of new technology - while staying true to our commitment to personal style," said its chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson in a statement. Despite H&M's claim it would not change its "human-centric approach" some fear the move could impact other models, photographers and make-up artists.

Look Again: That H&M Model Showing Off a New Look May Be a Digital Clone

Sign up for the On Tech newsletter. Get our best tech reporting from the week. Get it sent to your inbox. In two photographs taken for the fashion retailer H&M, the model Mathilda Gvarliani is seen posing in a white tank top and jeans. The images look like takes from the same shoot, but one of the photos shows the real Ms. Gvarliani, and the other is an artificially manipulated image of her. Published this week in The Business of Fashion, an industry news outlet, one of the images shows Ms. Gvarliani clutching the waistband of her jeans, and the other shows her "digital twin" with her arms crossed and staring into the camera. Across the two images reads a quote by Ms. Gvarliani: "She's like me, without the jet lag." Ms. Gvarliani is one of more than two dozen models that H&M is working with this year to create digital replicas for use on the company's social media platforms and in its marketing campaigns, the publication reported. H&M, a Swedish retailer, is the latest company to pursue a trend that has unsettled some fashion industry insiders. As the use of images generated by artificial intelligence spreads, critics have raised concerns about the impact on models and other independent contractors, such as hair stylists and makeup artists, who are part of the labor force that makes a photo shoot happen. The company is in the exploratory phase of the project, said Hacan Andersson, a spokesman for H&M. "We are merely exploring what is possible, and we are doing so in close collaboration with other creatives within the industry, agencies and the models themselves -- who are in full control of when the 'digital twin' would be used, and will of course get paid when it is being used," he said. Jorgen Andersson, the chief creative officer of H&M, said that the company would retain a "human-centric approach" in its use of the technology. H&M was "curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways -- and embrace the benefits of new technology -- while staying true to our commitment to personal style," he said in an emailed statement on Thursday. The Fashion Workers Act, a new law that takes effect in June in New York State is expected to address some of the concerns about the use of A.I. by providing protections to models, including requiring pay transparency and control over digital replicas. State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the labor law would "protect fashion models from being financially abused and having their images used without their consent." Other states and some European countries have laws pertaining to the rights of individuals over their digital replicas, but the New York law is specifically geared toward models. Some models have complained about discovering unknown faces photoshopped onto their bodies, or of not having control of their finances. "I think part of what's striking about the H&M digital-twin campaign is that the digital representation of the model is indistinguishable," Sara Ziff, a former model and the founder of the Model Alliance, an advocacy group, said on Friday. "It really raises questions about consent and compensation and also has the potential to replace a host of fashion workers." The alliance, which provided input for the law in New York, said that there have been cases where models have had their generative A.I. images used without their knowledge or consent, and without receiving compensation. The new law says that modeling agencies cannot have the power of attorney over a digital replica, and must get a model's written consent for how it is used and remunerated. A.I.-generated models are generally either fictitious representations of human models or digital replicas, which are images of real people repurposed by the technology, such as the H&M "digital twins." The use of these digital forms in the lucrative fashion industry has been developing for years, as global retailers try to balance brand appeal with transparency and costs. In 2011, H&M superimposed the heads of real models onto computer-generated mannequins for an online swimwear campaign. In 2023, the denim brand Levi Strauss said that it was going to use A.I. technology to publish more images of a range of body types, but added that it would not be scaling back on the use of live models. Last year, the fashion brand Mango unveiled a campaign for a teen line of clothing, using A.I. technology that Jordi Alex, its chief information technology officer, said in an announcement "will either make us more human or it won't." In its newsletter this week, the Model Alliance said that it was evaluating the H&M plan, which includes examples of other models next to their digital clones while featuring upbeat quotes, like the one attributed to Ms. Gvarliani about her digital twin being a version of her. "Finally a way for me to be in New York and Tokyo on the same day," the model Yar Aguer was quoted as saying while paired alongside her digital twin. Asked on Friday whether the models had really said those words, an H&M spokesman said: "I can confirm they are real quotes from the models."

Calling all fashion models ... now AI is coming for you

As fashion brands create AI 'twins' with models' permission, some believe this is just another form of exploitation The impact of AI has been felt across industries from Hollywood to publishing - and now it's come for modelling. H&M announced last week that it would create AI "twins" of 30 models with the intention of using them in social media posts and marketing imagery if the model gives her permission. In a statement, Jörgen Andersson, the chief creative officer at H&M, described the idea as "something that will enhance our creative process and how we work with marketing but fundamentally not change our human-centric approach in any way". The retail giant has worked with successful models including Vilma Sjöberg and Mathilda Gvarliani, who model for Vogue and brands including Chanel. As part of the agreement, each model would be able book her twin on shoots for other brands - meaning they could, in image anyway, be in two places at the same time. Speaking to The Business of Fashion, Gvarliani described her replica as "like me, without the jet-lag". Images of AI and human, side by side, look scarily lifelike. The news has been greeted with dismay by the wider industry, which fears this could be the start of a shift. It mirrors the concerns of Hollywood workers who went on strike in 2023 over the use of AI in film and TV. This is not the first time a major fashion company has explored AI models - Levis and Hugo Boss have also experimented with the technology. Bectu, the union that represents the creative industries, explained the concerns. "Even if models are compensated for the use of their image, it is hard to see how using technology will not have a significant detriment to other fashion creatives and industry workers, from make-up and hair, to rigging and lights," said the head of the union, Philippa Childs. A survey found that 54% of Bectu workers believed AI would have a negative impact on the fashion industry. Those advocating for models have also raised concerns. Sara Ziff, the founder of Model Alliance, says: "There are a lot of open questions, and one of them is about compensation. What does fair compensation for a digital twin look like?" H&M has said each model would be paid when their twin was used, with the fee negotiated with their agency. In 2020, the model and founder of technology education company WAYE, Sinead Bovell, wrote an article in Vogue titled 'I Am a Model and I Know That Artificial Intelligence Will Eventually Take My Job'. She raises the issue of the lack of regulation. "If a model gives their consent to use their likeness somewhere, it can enhance the actual AI model, the data centre that the company uses, which could accelerate automation," she says. "There's all these nuanced ways that models may get even more exploited." Guard rails are being built. The Model Alliance's Fashion Workers' Act comes into law in June - a piece of legislation which requires consent from models for AI usage, when working with agencies based in the state. "It couldn't be more timely," says Ziff. "With H&M's announcement, it gives a lot of other industry players licence to move forward in a way that could be very reckless and damaging." In addition to this, the AI Act will be introduced in the EU in 2026, requiring AI images to be labelled as such (H&M said it would use a watermark on images featuring AI). Ziff is clear that she is not "anti-tech" and there are big players in fashion who have embraced advances in technology. The former Harpers Bazaar editor Lucy Yeomans founded Drest in 2019, a game that allows players to dress up avatars in designer brands. However, the use of AI is limited. "It would be lovely if AI could create all the looks," says Yeomans, "but if JW Anderson decides he is going to put a belt halfway down the skirt, AI says: 'Belts don't go halfway down skirts'." High-profile models such as Sjöberg and Gvarliani will likely be compensated well - casting agent Chloe Rosolek estimates they would be paid "millions" - but AI is likely to directly threaten models who more typically feature in e-commerce shoots that showcase products on brands' websites. "Most models have had to deal with job loss already and this is a whole other frightening thing for them," says Rosolek. Ingo Nolden, who is Gvarliani's agent in Germany, agrees: "There is the erosion of human work especially at the entry level," he says. He had negotiated a deal for an AI version of a model he works with in 2023, only to back out "because I felt it was giving the licence out to a third party I have no control of". Lalaland AI creates AI models, and has clients including Zalando and Levis. Michael Musandu, the founder, says the technology allows consumers to see a more diverse "casting" when they look at a website. "As a person of colour, I never got to see models that represented this diversity or inclusion perspective," he says. He argues the amount of shoots that big brands produce means it would be difficult to implement this change using real models. AI is not always a tool for inclusivity, of course - in 2023, Shereen Wu, a Taiwanese-American model posted on social media that her image had been changed so she looked white. While Musandu says criticism of AI models is "warranted", he downplays its impact. "Brands are going to continue to use real models," he says. "This is supplementing ... there is a cost-saving element, you can produce this content at a much more affordable price." Rosolek describes H&M's AI shoots as "another capitalistic approach to cut people, to cut their costs and increase their profits". Profit may be on the company's mind. In financial results for the first quarter of 2025, they missed expected growth, with Reuters describing its start to the year as "sluggish". An H&M spokesperson responded to concerns with the following statement: "While we understand that this will spark opinions, discussions, and uncertainty, we are humble in acknowledging that we do not hold all the answers at this point. "We will continue to explore with other creatives within the industry to see what generative AI can bring to any creative process, while ensuring we maintain our human-centric approach." Rosolek hopes the development "is a massive flop" with consumers. "Models make an image incredible and I don't think that can be replicated through AI," she says. Yeomans agrees. "If you think of someone like [photographer] Steven Meisel, he was always discovering that next model, and everyone would ask, 'Oh my gosh, is that beautiful?' 'Oh yes, it is beautiful'," she says. "I'm not sure whether AI will be able to look around the corner and predict what might be next."

Digital doppelgangers to appear in H&M ads

Next time you spot an H&M ad, take a closer look to see if it features an AI-generated model. The clothing giant has revealed that it will start using AI to generate digital replicas of 30 of its models for use in ads and social media posts -- provided they give their permission, that is. Recommended Videos The idea of creating digital replicas is a controversial one in not only the modeling industry but also in the wider creative sector, with many actors, photographers, and make-up artists, among others, fearing a loss of work. For its own endeavor, H&M has insisted the models will retain rights over their digital copies, giving them a say over how the retailer uses them for marketing, Business of Fashion reported. The clothing company also said that the models will be paid for the use of their AI-generated replicas, apparently similar to in-person rates, though ultimately it will be for a model's agent to negotiate an agreed rate. "We are curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways -- and embrace the benefits of new technology -- while staying true to our commitment to personal style," H&M chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson said in comments reported by the BBC. H&M will likely use the digital copies first in social media posts, with a watermark included to indicate that AI was used to generate the models. Such labeling ensures that H&M falls in line with rules laid out by platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, which demand that AI-created content be labeled as such. Generative AI has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of years, with powerful computer tools able to create convincing doubles of real people, or imagined people created from just a few keywords. Not surprisingly, the technology's ease of use appeals to executives and producers in the creative industries, as well as brand creative teams. But concerns surrounding the issue include ensuring fair compensation for the use of digital twins, whether equitable rates will persist in the future, and whether new talent will still have the same opportunities to break into the industry. Many will recall the disruption caused by the Hollywood strikes in 2023 when actors and writers stopped working over a range of issues, including over how movie studios might use AI to write scripts, and the use of digital doubles in future productions. Unions managed to carve out notable concessions and limitations designed to protect show business creatives, though negotiations are still ongoing on some issues. As AI tools continue to improve, don't be surprised if we see more disputes across the creative sector as executives tussle with creators over the use of this fast-developing technology.

Digital Doppelgangers: H&M Explores AI Digital Twins for Fashion Retail | PYMNTS.com

Swedish retail giant H&M is creating 30 digital twins of human models this year as it explores new ways to showcase its clothes, shoes and accessories. The news, first reported by Business of Fashion, would potentially be used in marketing campaigns and social media posts. H&M confirmed the digital twins experiment to PYMNTS, but said their use is not yet set. "We are curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways -- and embrace the benefits of new technology -- while staying true to our commitment to personal style," an H&M spokesman told PYMNTS.com. "This initiative is about exactly this: exploring the benefits of what generative AI can bring to the creative process." H&M's spokesman emphasized that this project will "fundamentally not change our human-centric approach in any way." The retailer reportedly will let the human models retain the rights to their digital twins and be compensated according to their current arrangements. They will also be allowed to license these digital twins to other brands. Images will have watermarks to make it clear they were created using artificial intelligence (AI). H&M said it still doesn't know how its experiment will affect the fashion ecosystem, including photographers, stylists, make-up artists and the like. "H&M's use of AI-generated avatars marks a shift toward greater efficiency in fashion marketing, enabling faster campaign turnarounds and significant cost savings," said Gleb Tkatchouk, product director of AI image generator Arta, told PYMNTS.com. "It also enhances creative flexibility, making it possible to implement concepts that would be difficult -- if not impossible -- to achieve with real-life models," Tkatchouk added. But the big question is whether AI replicas will "evoke the same emotional resonance as real people among consumers whose value of authenticity is particularly strong when it comes to lifestyle-related content," Tkatchouk said. At least, H&M's plans to compensate the models and let them retain the rights to their digital twins represent a "progressive ethical step in digital rights management," Tkatchouk said. For successful long-term adoption if AI models, clear legal frameworks must be developed to cover issues such as how contracts will evolve, whether models can license their avatars to multiple brands and what protections exist against unauthorized modifications, Tkatchouk said. The fashion industry has been embracing AI to create marketing campaigns for years, but one of its most controversial uses is for generating AI models. Last July, fashion retailer Mango used AI models in its clothing line for teens. Called Sunset Dream, the limited-edition collection was billed by the company as the first campaign generated entirely using AI. But Mango received consumer criticism on social media for "false advertising" and for its potential to kill fashion industry jobs. A month earlier, the Czech edition of Vogue Leaders placed AI-generated supermodel Shudu on its cover, depicting her on the streets of Prague wearing digital fashion. Shudu is the creation of an AI modeling agency called The Diigitals. The agency's digital models have been hired by Hyundai, Lexus, Michelob, Karl Lagerfeld, Paco Rabanne, Lexus, Samsung, Mercedes and many others. Fashion industry workers have not been happy with the use of AI models. In 2023, Levi's plans to use AI-generated models received industry backlash due to its potential to replace human workers, according to NBC News. Levi's explained that digital models would not replace human models but would be used alongside them. The goal was to add more models per product in a variety of body sizes, types, ages and skin colors. Saige Thomas, executive producer at Texas Fashion Week, said the right focus should be on innovation. "AI in fashion isn't about replacing humans -- it's about pushing innovation. When used right, it can be a tool that enhances innovation without erasing authenticity," Thomas told PYMNTS. However, "We have to ensure models are paid per use and that there are monetary benefits for all of the professionals who helped make that generated image possible. We must acknowledge how this can impact our hair and makeup artists, photographers, and set designers," she added. Ultimately, the use of AI models has too many benefits for fashion companies to ignore. "It will not only cut costs but also speed up content creation," Fergal Glynn, chief marketing officer of Mindgard, told PYMNTS. "It's like benefiting endlessly from the likenesses of these models."

H&M's digital clone models are already causing controversy

We've been hearing a lot in the past year about the rise of digital twins in advertising. They've been used in the automotive sector for years, but the faster-moving consumer goods sectors has been slower to adopt them. That's started to change with the adoption of game engines like Unreal Engine 5 for 3D workflows and now with advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) making clones easier to create. In a sign that digital twins are going mainstream, the clothing retailer H&M has decided to use digital clones of models. As reported by Business of Fashion, H&M is working with Swedish tech firm Uncut to use AI to create digital clones of 30 models. They will be used in place of human models in some social media posts and marketing assets. It's been two years since Levi's announced that it was testing the use of AI-generated models. H&M is avoiding some of the controversy over AI by using clones are based on the likenesses of consenting human models. The company, which has more than 4,000 stores in 75 markets and also owns Arket, Monki, & Other Stories and Weekday, says models will retain the rights to their digital replicas and will get paid for their use in a similar way to existing arrangements, receiving rates agreed by their agents. Images would probably be used with disclaimers to clarify that they were made by AI. Chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson in a statement: "We are curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways - and embrace the benefits of new technology - while staying true to our commitment to personal style." Some models are embracing the new tech too, believing that it will allow them to work more and travel less. "She's like me, without the jet-lag," the model Mathilda Gvarliani is quoted as saying. But despite H&M's insistence that the move won't change its "human-centric approach", some are concerned about the potential impact of digital twins on production designers, photographers and make-up artists as well as on other models. Digital clones could allow already successful professionals to be in more places at once and to make more money, but this over-availability of established artists could mean less chance for new talent to break through. In this sense, AI wouldn't be empowering new creatives and artists, but pulling the ladder up behind the existing generation. In theory, a model could continue to use a digital clone of their 20-year-old self forever, and even after their death (at least until the market tires of them). The US fashion influencer Morgan Riddle described the move as "shameful" in an Instagram Story. "RIP to all the other jobs on shoot sets that this will take away," she wrote. On its website, Uncut says it's "helping big brands say goodbye to outdated production methods" and making content creation "simpler, smarter and more affordable". I wonder, though, if there is a risk for models who permit AI clones too. If they spread themselves too thinly and allow overly wide use of their likeness, the value of their own image could decline. For more controversial use of generative AI, catch up on the fallout from OpenAI's new image generator's ability to Ghiblify any image.