Australian Model Accuses Brand Of Using AI To “Whitewash” His Image

Elii Emeghebo, a Nigerian-Australian model, is accusing the brand Peter Jackson of using AI to whitewash one of his images. The model walked past Peter Jackson’s Pitt Street shop in Sydney two years ago and noticed an eerily similar image.

He emailed his agent describing the man in the image as his “white twin”. “My nose was reshaped, my skin tone and my eye colour were significantly lightened, and there’s some reshaping around my eyebrows and my eye shape to be more Eurocentric and a lot less black,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

Nigerian-Australian model accuses brand of whitewashing image

Emeghebo believes the AI image is an example of racial discrimination and offensive behaviour and is pursuing a complaint against Peter Jackson Australia at the Australian Human Rights Commission. The brand admitted it used AI to change Emeghebo’s appearance but dismissed claims of racial discrimination.

A representative in a statement said, “Any suggestion that we intentionally engaged in racial discrimination is false, and we reject it unequivocally.” Emeghebo also says he should have been paid for the use of the AI image, as his contract stated his images would only be used on Peter Jackson’s digital channels.

The use of AI in the modelling industry

We’re seeing an increase in the use of AI in the fashion industry. Several models have spoken up about the unauthorised use of AI to modify their images. Additonally brands are using AI to create their own models.

Vogue faced backlash in 2025 for using an AI-generated model in its August issue. The double-page Guess advertisement, created by AI marketing agency Seraphinne Vallora, features a blonde model wearing two different outfits.

The incident added to growing concerns about how AI may be reinforcing racial bias in fashion. The industry has long struggled with diversity, particularly when it comes to Black representation.

The use of virtual and AI-generated models, particularly Black models, has also become increasingly popular in the past decade. Virtual influencer and model Shudu has over 237,000 followers on Instagram and has had partnerships with brands including Balmain, Louis Vuitton, and Furla, as reported by The Conversation.

Image: Peter Jackson/ABC News

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