World’s First AI Supermodel is a Black Woman: But Her Creator is a White Man Who Reaps the Profit
The faux faces of AI models are taking the digital world by storm.
Shudu, a South African model created by artificial intelligence, is the world’s first model in the realm, and her popularity is growing rapidly.
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According to Phoenix, the creator – Cameron-James Wilson, a white man – is being criticized for profiting off of a Black model’s digital career.
Wilson, a professional retoucher in reality, used 3D modeling software such as Daz3D, Photoshop, and garment simulation software Clo3D, to create the fictional model, which he said is inspired by Black icons such as Naomi Campbell, Alex Wek, and Iman.
Wilson has been receiving profits, too, because, according to The Outlet, Shudu has been featured in Vogue, Hypebeast, V Magazine, and WWD within the first two years of her career. Wilson said his Black supermodel has also fronted campaigns for Balmain and Ellesse. Additionally, Shudu made an appearance on the red carpet at the 2019 BAFTA awards in a Swarovski gown.
Shudu has also released her own record and was named one of the most influential people on the internet by Time.
That’s what you’re enabling Lensa to do when you give them your likeness. The more images you give it, the smarter and more lifelike it becomes. In addition to deepfakes or putting your face somewhere it’s never been or saying something you’d never say—AI is also Blackface.
— El Norte Recuerda (@Vanessid) December 7, 2022
However, some disagree with the critics, and believe the concept creates more jobs for real Black models.
Phoenix reported that Jamaican model, Misty Bailey, a human talent signed to D1 Models in London, stands in as one of Wilson’s muses for Shudu. Bailey originally discovered Shudu on Instagram and began working with Wilson and his creation within a year.
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Bailey believes critics who condemn Cameron for being a white male and creating an idealized Black woman are a bit racist.
“I think that’s a bit racist to be honest, because how can you tell someone what colour or race they should create? I don’t think it makes any sense,” she said.
“I believe they are racist with that. Because there are photographers working with black models, designers working with black models, that are not black. Why should there be any difference?”
According to The New York Times, earlier this summer, AI-generated rapper FN Meka was dropped from Capitol Records after the concept received major backlash for exhibiting stereotypical Black behaviors under the control of white people.
“We offer our deepest apologies to the Black community for our insensitivity in signing this project without asking enough questions about equity and the creative process behind it,” the company said in a statement. “We thank those who have reached out to us with constructive feedback in the past couple of days — your input was invaluable as we came to the decision to end our association with the project.”
