H&M will use AI to create digital twins of fashion models

H&M will use artificial intelligence (AI) to create digital twins of fashion models. The retailer said it will use 30 AI-created models in some social media posts and marketing in the place of humans – if given permission to do so by their human counterparts.

The models themselves will own the rights to their twins, H&M told industry publication Business of Fashion.

Traditionally, digital twins create real-time virtual replicas of physical assets, processes or systems to help organizations gain insights into performance, predictive maintenance and overall operational health. They are among a number of approaches businesses use to support process excellence, with the technology being adopted across industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, energy, smart cities and aerospace.

While H&M’s intended use of digital twins to recreate humans is novel, it reflects the growing role of AI in enhancing efficiency, scalability and sustainability.

H&M “curious to explore” new technology

H&M is “curious to explore how to showcase” its fashion in new creative ways while embracing the benefits of new technology and staying true to its commitment to personal style, according to chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson.

H&M also said models would be compensated for use of their digital twins in a similar way to current arrangements.

Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Dobbie, founder and CEO at MadeBrave, said: “On paper, it’s genius. No costly flights, no gruelling travel schedules, no double-booking nightmares. Models can scale their presence worldwide without ever leaving home. Efficiency? Tick. Sustainability? Tick. Scalability? Huge tick.”

However, Dobbie questioned whether digital replicas can truly capture the “intangible moments” central to fashion. “All the behind-the-scenes magic...the energy, networking, camaraderie, user-generated content, the behind the scenes real human stories that create amazing content all potentially sidelined.”

Benefits of digital twins

According to research from Siemens and S&P Global, nearly a third (30 percent) of organizations are now spending over US$10 million on digital twin technology. Manufacturing leads the way in adoption, leveraging digital twins to create virtual replicas of factories, supply chains and product development processes.

Organizations implementing digital twins report significant improvements in operational efficiency, predictive maintenance and product development. According to research by Hexagon, companies using digital twins have seen a 15 percent increase in sales, faster turnaround times and efficiency gains exceeding 25 percent.

To successfully deploy digital twins, organizations must address key considerations. Data integration is crucial – real-time data from various sources must be seamlessly connected to ensure accurate modeling. Scalability is another factor, as digital twins must adapt to growing operations and increasing data volumes. Security and privacy are major concerns too, as is change management for adoption.

Read the full story on H&M’s use of digital twins on Business of Fashion.

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