Photographer Finds AI-Generated Women in Beauty Magazine Article

Austin-based photographer Cassandra Klepac discovered that Beauty Authority magazine used AI-generated images instead of real photographs in an article about cosmetic procedures. While browsing at an airport, Klepac was initially impressed by the images but found AI prompts instead of photographer credits. She posted a viral Instagram Reel (nearly 150,000 likes) questioning the use of fake women to illustrate stories about real women's bodies and health advice. Klepac emphasized her concern is less about photographers' livelihoods and more about the ethical implications of using AI faces to discuss real experiences. In contrast, Dove pledged in 2024 to never use AI to distort women's appearance, citing studies on mental health impacts. The incident follows a lawsuit by model Francheska Pujols against a retailer for using AI to alter her poses and backgrounds, and H&M's polarizing rollout of AI-generated 'digital twins' of models. Klepac's Reel drew supportive comments criticizing the magazine's editors and calling for AI governance.