The incident has sparked discussions about the ethical use of AI in the fashion industry, with concerns about the technology reinforcing racist and sexist stereotypes. Susan Scafidi, academic director of Fordham’s Fashion Law Institute, highlighted that copyright law protects photographers but not models whose images are altered. Wu has sought legal advice from the Model Alliance, an advocacy group for fashion workers. The group's founder, Sara Ziff, noted that while AI technology is new, the misuse of models' images is not.
Key takeaways:
- Taiwanese American model Shereen Wu accused fashion designer Michael Costello of posting a digitally altered photo of her on Instagram, making her appear white.
- Costello denied altering the photo, claiming it was "fan art" and took responsibility for sharing it. He also threatened legal proceedings against Wu for her allegations.
- The incident has sparked discussions about the ethical use of AI in the fashion industry, with concerns that it could erase diversity and perpetuate racist and sexist stereotypes.
- Wu's case highlights the need for protections for models, whose images can be heavily manipulated or used without their informed consent or compensation, according to Sara Ziff, founder of the Model Alliance.