Dove vows to never use AI depictions of 'real bodies' in advertising

In a recent announcement, Dove has declared its commitment to exclusively employing genuine photographs of women in its advertisements, eschewing the use of AI-generated imagery to portray ‘real bodies.’ Furthermore, the brand aims to advocate for more diverse representations through AI-generated images, albeit guided by prompts focused on the concept of beauty.

Moreover, Dove has unveiled a playbook to guide consumers in adjusting prompts for generative AI tools, promoting more inclusive and realistic outcomes. The brand has even produced AI-generated images labeled as such in order to improve the technology's depiction of diverse body types and mitigate potential harm to individuals' body image and self-esteem.

Dove's journey in promoting body positivity dates back to 2004 when it initiated a campaign informed by research revealing low self-perception among women. By featuring unaltered and underrepresented bodies in its advertising, Dove contributed to the burgeoning body positivity movement of the 2010s.

In response to a recent survey encompassing over 33,000 individuals across 20 countries, Dove discovered that a significant portion felt compelled to alter their appearance due to online content, regardless of its authenticity. As a countermeasure, Dove's advertisements now juxtapose AI-generated outputs with more realistic representations of diverse women challenging unrealistic beauty standards propagated by digital media.