AI has been rapidly included into all aspects of life since its introduction. As AI has shown up in real life examples, many are concerned with its negative impacts on creativity and creation, especially with generative AI tools. Controversies have sparked up in numerous art fields including fashion, with discussions surrounding AI models and AI ads.
Although AI has been a field of study since the 1950’s, more popularized large scale public AI websites like ChatGPT gained popularity with their public release in 2022. Throughout 2025, ChatGPT runs with around 800 million weekly users. With the popularity of apps and websites like ChatGPT, Generative AI also became popular.
Generative AI tools lately have been used to create things like videos, pictures, music, audio as well change already existing files. Generative AI can show up in media in many different ways. Apps like Capcut and Tiktok readily adopted the use of generative AI into some of their templates and Filters. AI is also making appearances in media as bigger productions and brands are opting for what they deem as “innovative” and “cost effective”.
Despite the surge in AI use, there are many against AI as there are many negatives to this growing technology, especially in the creative industry.
The negative impacts of AI
Environmental impacts
One of the biggest negative impacts of AI is its environmental effects. In all industries, environmental effects is one of the main reasons why people are extremely against AI including in media and art. AI takes enormous amounts of energy, and needs gallons of water in order to cool active servers. According to Inside Climate News, in the US, data cooling already takes up 2-3% of public waters supplies and the that number is estimated to increase to 8% by the 2030’s.
The electronics needed for AI data centers alone takes many resources. According to the UN Environment Program, a 2kg computer requires 800kg of raw materials. These data centers also produce large amounts of electronic waste. This electronic waste deeply affects communities around data centers.
Environmental issues are deeply connected to fashion and the fashion industry. With previous concerns surrounding fashion over consumption and pollution, AI adds another aspect to sustainability and environmentalism for companies within the fashion industry.
Impacts of AI in art
Specifically with generative AI in creative fields, there are issues with stolen content and lack of creativity. The way the generative AI works is through learning through data sets. These data sets have to consist of work that is already out there. Many argue that AI tools used to create things like art and music are directly taking from real artists as references in data sets. This raises issues for artist permissions and discussions of stolen work within the AI space.
Along with the issue of stolen work for data sets, probably the biggest issue facing creatives is the decrease in jobs and opportunities due to AI. AI has created worker displacement in entry-level and creative fields. As creative fields like fashion and art are already highly sought after and competitive, AI is a polarizing topic. Companies tend to see AI as a cost effective alternative as well as something that is necessary for the future of business and technology. On the other hand, creatives view it as a soulless product that harms the environment and the creative space.
AI in media
H&M AI twins
Issues surrounding AI in fashion become clear when looking at H&M’s newest models. In March of this year H&M mentioned that they would be announcing AI digital twins of current models. Select models signed their likeness to H&M to allow them to create a digital twin using AI for campaigns. Initial images of these digital twins were released in early July.
H&M states that models retain full control over their twin and that the company previously knew that the AI models would have a controversial and polarizing reception.
Many issues have been raised around the company’s move. Firstly, industries like apparel rely on visual branding to share the quality of their products. Using AI models in turn means using AI generated or at the very least edited clothing. This poses an issue with the authenticity of the product being modeled.
Secondly, the introduction of AI models does not just take models out of a job. The decision of using AI models also affects photographers, hair stylists, makeup artists, stylists, studio assistants and many others involved in the process of creating the photo for a campaign or catalog.
Guess AI ads in Vogue
Another AI controversy was raised this past August. The August 2025 Vogue issue included a Guess ad featuring an AI model.
Vogue has been receiving a lot of pushback for allowing these images into the publication. Vogue’s parent company said in a statement, “that an AI model has never appeared editorially in Vogue”.
AI in other art forms
AI has also been making appearances in other art forms aside from fashion. Most commonly appearing in art, AI is starting to be recognized in things like animation and social media.
A recent example being a trailer from the movie “Weapons” in late July. Although the movie does not include AI, a trailer was released featuring a child-like hand drawn animations style which many fans immediately noticed as AI.
The trailer was quickly taken down due to pushback, but the conversation continued online. Artists and creatives alike have been posting on social media about how this is impactful in the hope that consumers will follow suit.
A concern with AI is that it is continually getting better and adapting. Even on social media, more and more people are getting fooled by AI, like the popular bunny video on tiktok. At first glance it seemed like a real video of bunny jumping on a trampoline in someone’s backyard. Anyone doom scrolling through probably would have thought nothing of it.
However, if you looked more at the video, you would come to realize that it was entirely AI. Many in the comments felt completely fooled for believing in the authenticity of the video. Others noted how scary it is that AI is progressing and slowly convincing more and more people.
Public response
Fashion conversations
The recent AI fashion controversies have sparked debate about AI in fashion and modeling, as well as other art forms.
The Guess ad also created conversation around AI and beauty standards. For generations, people have looked up to models and fashion icons who have set the fashion and beauty standards. What happens when that is replaced by computer generated images? The beauty standard that is already hard to attain then becomes quite literally impossible. This can have a long lasting effect on mental health, body image, and self-esteem issues especially for younger audiences.
Many have pushed back against AI in Fashion. According to ABC News, many are cancelling their vogue subscriptions and calling for a boycott to fight against AI in fashion.
On apps like Tiktok, many are fighting AI by being vocal about their dislike as well as joining in to trends that highlight the beauty of human made art and media. For instance, take a look at this edit featuring the best in fashion.
Pushback in art and media
Creator @olivesongs, who writes original songs everyday and posts them on Tiktok, took the AI bunny video as inspiration.
This video completely blew up which led to him releasing multiple parts of this song and eventually releasing it onto streaming platforms. The message and feeling within the song resonated with many others’ own experiences and feelings toward AI.
This sparked many posts recreating the song and many covers expressing this feeling in their own way. These posts were well received and included discussions of hope in creative fields claiming that AI cannot recreate the pure essence of human creation and the emotion that goes into it.
These edits won’t make a change on their own. However, the hope is that we as people can use our voice to show companies and corporations what everyone wants.
Company responses
Despite this pushback, Many companies believe that AI’s benefits outweigh its negatives. Things like reduced costs and better efficiency are main reasons why companies continue to push for the implementation of AI in virtually everything. While consumers and entry level workers view AI as damaging, companies see AI as something innovative.
This is why companies like H&M are confident in their AI projects despite pushback. According to GPTZero, 9 out of 10 companies view AI as a competitive advantage over other competitors, and 82% of companies have adopted or explored using AI in some way.
Despite companies’ pushes to include AI, these sparks in individual artistic expression truly show that AI will never be able to fully take over creative spaces. As a collective there has been so much pushback to try and keep AI out of art, movies, music, and fashion.
With many companies still pushing for the positives in AI, future use in fashion and media seems inevitable. The future of AI in media is uncertain, but the one thing that is certain is that people will keep creating and AI won’t stop the creative human experience.
