AI Influencer Image Sparks Controversy for Shopify

Influencer Calls Out E-Commerce Giant

Molly Baz, a New York Times bestselling author and prominent food creator with a following of over 829,000 on Instagram, has publicly accused e-commerce platform Shopify of using her likeness without permission. The controversy began when Baz discovered a website theme available to merchants that featured an image strikingly similar to the cover of her popular cookbook, "More Is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen."

The template's design showcased a woman in a red sweatshirt, enjoying an onion ring within a butter-yellow kitchen. Baz pointed out that the image mirrored her own promotional photo, from the specific hand gesture to the style of the red sweatshirt. In an Instagram post addressing the issue, Baz stated, "Shopify is using a sicko AI version of me to sell its new website themes. Shame, shame."

The Shopify template (left) and Molly Baz's cookbook cover (right) show a strong resemblance.

Shopify Responds and Removes Template

In response to the accusation, Shopify swiftly removed the template from its marketplace. A spokesperson for the company clarified the situation to Business Insider, attributing the issue to a third-party developer. "A third-party theme developer used imagery resembling Ms. Baz without permission, which violates our terms," the spokesperson said. "We immediately removed the theme using Ms. Baz's likeness once we became aware, have informed Ms. Baz's team, and are working with the developer to ensure this does not happen again."

Shopify did not provide further details on its relationship with the developer, listed as Presidio, or confirm if other designs from the same developer were also taken down. Presidio, which has a portfolio including major brands like Ouai and Momofuku, has not responded to requests for comment.

Molly Baz has become a prominent voice in the food media landscape.

A Growing Concern for Creators in the AI Era

The incident highlights a significant and growing anxiety among artists and creators regarding generative artificial intelligence. With AI tools capable of creating realistic images from simple prompts, the line between inspiration and duplication is becoming increasingly blurred. This has raised critical questions about whether AI platforms, often trained on vast amounts of online data without explicit consent, can legally replicate an individual's likeness or artistic style.

Robert Freund, an advertising and e-commerce lawyer, commented on the potential for accidental infringement. "Given the enormous volume of data that these models are trained on, it's inevitable that some marketers who rely on those tools may inadvertently create and then use assets that could unknowingly infringe on someone's publicity rights," he explained.

Despite these legal and ethical gray areas, AI adoption is on the rise among some marketers who are using the technology for everything from ad copy to user-generated style UGC videos. This isn't the first time a major public figure has been replicated without permission. In a notable 2023 case, MrBeast flagged a deepfake of himself in an ad on TikTok, demonstrating how easily celebrity likenesses can be exploited by bad actors. As this technology continues to evolve, the debate over copyright, consent, and digital identity is only just beginning.