I've been experimenting with Midjourney trying to figure out a way to use this technology so it fits within my workflow or rather as another tool in my belt. One of the biggest challenges in past work has been budgets and casting for models. AI makes things easier in this regard saving a ton of time and money, but it leaves me wondering about the ethical nature of it all. I was upset when I heard Levi's was going to use AI to cast diverse models, but their approach in doing so instead of actually casting diverse people felt like a huge copout. Am I a hypocrite though if I do the same? It feels like it, but I'm not sure. At this point, it may seem best to keep using AI as a means for inspiration and experimentation rather than as the final product unless there are some solid disclaimers. All I know for sure is that I'm not a multi-billion dollar company and would cast diverse models anyway. The future is hard.

Some AI explorations below blended with illustrations by my wonderful partner.