There's really not much AI can't do - and there are real worries it might start coming for people's jobs.
But fashion modelling? We didn’t see that coming.
Meet Aitana: a 25-year-old, pink-haired bombshell who's making such a splash in the world of modelling that she’s apparently raking in a cool €10,000 a month.
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And the crazy thing is, she doesn't even exist. Well, not in the flesh-and-blood sense, anyway.
As the brainchild of AI, Aitana was brought to life by the creative minds at The Clueless - a modelling agency based in Barcelona.
The agency’s designer and founder, Rubén Cruz, developed the AI model during a challenging time for the agency - when it was faced with unreliable influencers and models causing project delays
This virtual model isn't just about looks; she's a digital powerhouse. On average, Aitana earns around €3,000 a month, mostly through advertising campaigns. She's already become the face of Big, a sports supplement company, and shares her glamorous, AI-generated life with her growing following, which has now reached over 140,0000 on Instagram.
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Aitana's influence has extended beyond the digital world and even caught the attention of real-life celebrities. One notable Latin American actor, who boasts millions of followers, apparently slid into her DMs and asked her out, unaware that she wasn't actually real.
So how was Aitana created, exactly? According to the agency’s design team, her life was constructed through a blend of AI and expert Photoshop. Aitana has a crafted personality - she's portrayed as a fitness enthusiast, gamer and cosplay lover. The team even schedule planning meetings to determine her activities for the week ahead.
Aitana may be the agency’s first of its type, but she won’t be the last. Her creation has already led to the birth of another virtual model, Maia.
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In a statement to UNILAD, The Clueless agency said: “AI models streamline workflows in fashion and publicity, providing a quicker, resource-efficient alternative. This technological advancement makes professions more accessible, allowing creatives to focus on higher-level tasks.”
But does the agency think that AI-generated models like Aitana will put real life models out of a job? Apparently not. The team believe that real and AI models will be able to coexist, with the latter merely “adding healthy competition”.
“Similar to the transition from print shops to home printers, AI models offer another option, diversifying the market. Certain brands may prefer AI-generated models for cost and time efficiency, representing a forward-thinking approach in the evolving industry.
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“It's about leveraging AI to enhance creative processes, contributing to ongoing innovation in these dynamic fields.”
However, this new wave of digital modelling isn't without its critics. Concerns have been raised about the impact of such unrealistically perfect models on beauty standards, as well as the sexualized nature of their portrayal.
The agency defends its approach as simply a reflection of current market trends set by real influencers and brands, which it says are already sexualized.
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We can’t imagine it will stop there, either - the agency has apparently already received numerous requests from brands wanting their own AI models.