Levi Strauss & Co. Announces It Will Use AI-Generated Models To Increase 'Diversity'
The company said they will test the use of AI models to "supplement" real-life models later this year.
Levi Strauss & Co. is partnering with an AI company to increase "the number and diversity of our models for our products in a sustainable way," the company announced in a press release. The partnership is with Lalaland.ai, which specializes in AI-generated fashion models.
In the press release, Levi’s said they will test the use of AI models to "supplement" real-life models later this year. "While AI will likely never fully replace human models for us, we are excited for the potential capabilities this may afford us for the consumer experience," said Dr. Amy Gershkoff Bolles, global head of digital and emerging technology strategy at Levi Strauss & Co.
Many Twitter users pushed back on the idea that the solution to a lack of diversity in fashion is AI models, rather than hiring real models, with people calling the decision 'lazy,' 'absurd,' and 'racist,' to cite just a few responses.
It was previously reported Levi Strauss & Co. was planning to lay off 800 employees — almost 20% of its corporate jobs. The cuts were expected to save the company $75 million to $100 million annually.