Although the photos have been clearly labelled “Made with AI”, this still has a negative impact on real artists and models - and even those who have designed the collection. It seems unfathomable that a house as big as Gucci would need to cut costs for their advertisement campaign. In 2025, Gucci’s revenue was roughly 5.9 billion euros, employing over 20,000 people. By missing out on using real people for their advertisements, Gucci also neglects using models, photographers, makeup and hair stylists, caterers, prop and set makers and lighting/sound directors to name a few. This results in more unemployment during a time where the job market is already so scarce for creatives.
How many people, who have grafted incredibly hard to be recognised by luxury and high-street brands, will be let go because of AI taking over their jobs?
But this is not the first time Gucci has used AI either. Gucci previously commissioned digital artists to produce visuals, including AI-generated images. Brands such as Valentino and H&M have also dabbled in AI, bringing up the question of what place AI has in advertisement, particularly for such well-known brands. Some argue that AI can be useful, even tactical, for retouching or small edits. But once brands begin using AI, to what end will it be enough? How many people, who have grafted incredibly hard to be recognised by luxury and high-street brands, will be let go because of AI taking over their jobs?
Gucci, as a luxury brand, needs to be more of an example to other companies; companies who have more of a reason to use AI due to a lack of funds or creative experience. In the new age of AI, artists need to be prioritised more than ever to upkeep human art and expression in our creative industries. As if to add to the damage, Gucci’s revenue has coincidentally decreased 25 percent in the last year. Maybe they’d benefit from more of a human touch.