AI news story

This model is not a real person: how AI is changing online shopping – video

From digital twins to models ‘sculpted’ by programmers, generative AI has been popping up all over the fashion ind…

  • Generative
  • Source: The Guardian AI
  • Published: 2026-05-31

Editor's take

An Australian e-commerce retailer has begun using AI-generated models for its product imagery, raising questions about authenticity in fashion marketing.

This development signals a growing trend where generative AI is being integrated into the visual presentation of goods, potentially impacting the roles of human models and the perceived reality of online shopping. It reflects a broader industry shift towards leveraging AI for cost-efficiency and creative control in content generation, moving beyond traditional photography and casting.

Future observation should focus on the consumer response to these synthetic personas and whether this approach will be adopted more widely by other brands seeking to streamline their visual content pipelines. The long-term implications for model agencies and the definition of "aspirational" imagery in fashion remain significant open questions.