Are AI models the next big danger for body image?

Key Points:

• Mia Perumal, a recovered eating disorder patient, warns that AI-generated models on social media may worsen unrealistic beauty standards for young people, making recovery and self-acceptance harder.
• Kelly Watts, a mother and marketing freelancer, expresses concern about her son and other children comparing themselves to AI-created "perfect" bodies, emphasizing the need for AI content to be clearly labeled.
• Professor Phillippa Diedrichs highlights that AI-generated images often reinforce narrow beauty ideals unless deliberately designed for diversity, potentially harming self-esteem but also offering opportunities for inclusive representation.
• Research from Cardiff Business School shows consumers tend to react negatively and emotionally detach from AI-generated fashion models, preferring real people who reflect authentic lived experiences.
• Brands like H&M have experimented with digital twins of real models but paused such projects to reconsider ethical implications, while major companies like Balmain and Levi's continue exploring AI in fashion.