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With artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly prevalent across all industries, questions about transparency, ethics, and boundaries have become more urgent. The recent controversy surrounding Vogue’s AI-generated advertisement for its August 2025 issue highlights the tension between innovation and appropriation. This ad has sparked significant debate not just about the specific campaign but also about the future of human creativity in the digital age.
Vogue featured an advertisement for Guess that was entirely generated by AI, created by the agency Seraphinne Vallora. The model in the ad does not exist in reality; it is a purely AI-generated image of someone walking through an imaginary city wearing a digitally created outfit. While Vogue included a disclosure stating “Produced by Seraphinne Vallora on AI,” the label was small and easily overlooked, leading many readers to believe that the model was real.
The backlash on social media platforms like TikTok emphasized concerns about the ad’s authenticity and ethical implications. Critics argue that this trend of using AI-generated models without clear disclosure is problematic, as it potentially exploits public trust for commercial gain. Vogue’s response came only after scrutiny, acknowledging that the advertisement was a paid campaign rather than editorial content.
As a cultural gatekeeper in fashion, Vogue has traditionally celebrated human ingenuity. However, with AI taking over and no clear disclosure, this move feels like a significant departure from its legacy. The issue is even more complex given that AI is reshaping various fields, including the fashion industry. This shift raises questions about the personal elements of art, ethics, and whether technology can truly represent human stories.
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From a broader perspective, Vogue’s recent actions pose significant risks to imaginative visuals and threaten to hollow out the cultural context from which inspiration is drawn. This controversy extends beyond fashion to represent a larger tension for fashion institutions: they must adapt or risk becoming alienated in an increasingly AI-driven world.
In essence, while Vogue’s advertisement may be a single instance, it represents a broader debate about the future of human creativity and the role of technology in shaping it.
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What was the main issue raised by the controversy surrounding Vogue's AI-generated advertisement for Guess?
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