Models Demand New York Lawmakers Regulate AI in the Fashion Industry

ALBANY, NY (01/23/2024) (readMedia)-- On Wednesday, the Model Alliance will join lawmakers and models for a virtual press conference to unveil roughly five new amendments to the Fashion Workers Act to regulate the use of AI in the modeling industry. AI is a growing threat to the financial-security and digital autonomy of models, like Shereen Wu – recently featured in a Guardian story – and Robyn Lawley who will share their firsthand experiences.

While the AI technology may be new, the lack of transparency and the nonconsensual reuse of models' images are not. For over a decade brands have repurposed models' images without consent or compensation. The presence of AI will only exacerbate this issue. The new AI provisions act as a necessary first step in regulating AI in the industry, and to address some of the models' most immediate concerns with the ever evolving technology.

About the Model Alliance

Founded in 2012, the Model Alliance has been at the forefront of advancing labor rights in the fashion industry for the last decade. Through strategic research, policy initiatives, and campaigns, the Model Alliance aims to promote fair treatment, equal opportunity, and more sustainable practices in the fashion industry, from the runway to the factory floor. The Model Alliance has championed multiple pieces of legislation, including the Child Model Act in New York and the Talent Protections Act in California. The organization also runs the world's only industry-specific support line, MA Support. In 2021, the organization received the first Positive Social Influence Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America at the CFDA Awards.