AI ads controversy continues as Vogue remains silent and debate intensifies online
Social media users continue to debate the ethics of AI use in advertising after the release of the August issue of Vogue. Netizens found it to feature not one, but multiple AI-generated ads, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Content creator and songwriter Ellie Voxel drew attention to the controversy in a recent TikTok video, where she examined three advertisements included in the magazine’s latest edition, but only one of which was labeled as AI-generated.
The first ad reviewed was a campaign for Skechers sneakers, a brand, which as the author of the video noted in another post, had previously used AI in a Vogue ad back in February.
The second ad, the one that initially sparked widespread backlash, was the only one clearly marked as AI-generated.
“You can tell a little bit by her hair, the perfection of it, but the details such as the texture of the wall and the hats, it all is very convincing. The only thing that really labels it as AI to me is the length of her ring finger. It’s just not quite right,” Voxel said.
The third advertisement featured a woman reclining back on a couch and holding a magazine that covers her face. The image is dedicated to promoting plastic surgery recovery. “You can tell this one is AI by the perfect lines on her hair, but mostly the weird lines on her jewelry,” Voxel added.
She concluded the video by asking viewers whether companies should be required to disclose the use of AI in their ads.
To that, one of the top comments read, “using AI for advertising should fall under false advertisement.” Another user remarked that these companies had “just cheapened their brand” by using such campaigns.
Earlier, when the controversy around AI-generated ads first surfaced, Kazinform reported on growing concerns among social media users about AI’s expanding role in creative industries. At the time, Vogue had not issued an official statement and the online community is still awaiting a response.
