Vogue’s Bizarre AI-Generated Photo Shoot With Bella Hadid
Vogue Italia is being criticized for its artificial intelligence (AI) generated cover photo shoot with supermodel Bella Hadid in its latest issue.
For the futuristic cover of Vogue Italia’s May 2023 issue, Hadid was shot by photographer Carlijn Jacobs. The photos were then combined with AI-generated art generated by DALL-E 2 — with the help of AI artist Chad Nelson.
Hadid is pictured on the Vogue Italia cover against an AI-generated background — with the words “Bella and AI” and “Beyond your wildest dreams” printed across the image.
In other photos featured in the fashion bible’s cover story, Hadid is seen in a background generated on DALL-E 2 by text prompts such as “Big green inflatable balloon in a gallery caught on film” and “A large strawberry behind a model and people in striped dresses.”
bella hadid for vogue italia, may 2023 pic.twitter.com/xNnROVsMao
— m (@blumasrine) April 27, 2023
Hadid also shared a photo on Instagram from Vogue Italia’s shoot which showed her towering over four AI-generated humans in high heels.
Het stomvervelende wicht Bella Hadid in Vogue Italia. Wel mooi plaatje natuurlijk pic.twitter.com/WTGexIOUMD
— Mies (@MiesBee) April 30, 2023
According to Jacobs, Hadid was first photographed in a studio. Jacobs then generated background images for the supermodel using text prompts in DALL-E 2.
Jacobs discussed the challenges of the AI shoot and described it as a “far from easy undertaking for a photographer used to working with images rather than words.”
bella for vogue italia. that jw anderson look đ€© wish this wasnât ai though, like when will fashion industry let it go pic.twitter.com/qHA1cWqskt
— margotđȘ (gaylorâs version) (@margotkkka) April 27, 2023
Meanwhile, Vogue Italia described the photo shoot as a “fascinating interplay between human creativity and artificial imagery” and a “demanding collaboration, studded with frustrating moments but also with surprises and twists.”
‘We are Doomed’
However, Vogue Italia’s “one-of-its-kind” photo shoot with Hadid was criticized by social media users — with many lamenting the publication’s use of AI.
A Twitter user comments: “The Bella Hadid shoot was AI too? We are doomed.”
“Love that Bella Hadid is back. Hate that it had to be with that ugly a** AI shoot,” another individual tweets.
Others described the fashion publication’s use of DALL-E 2 as “lame” and “forced.”
Many social media users criticized the low-quality AI-generated imagery — particularly in the photo that Hadid shared on her Instagram account showing her towering over four fake humans.
Imagine replacing human talent with AI and THIS is the result?? Vogue Italia, do better. pic.twitter.com/SyTCy2LDBf
— Kea (@jacquemusx) April 28, 2023
“Imagine replacing human talent with AI and this is the result?? Vogue Italia, do better,” one Twitter user writes.
Another writes: “Vogue Italia thatâs not how you use AI who are these cursed demons?”
However, other individuals suggested that readers needed to accept the use of AI technology in fashion photography: “AI is going to be a tool we use. Might as well get used to it. That Bella Hadid shoot was just the start.”
Earlier this year, a photographer featured by Vogue, who was accused of passing off AI images as his photography work admitted to PetaPixel that some of his pictures are computer generated.
Image credits: Header Image by Vogue Italia.
