Zara Tests AI-Edited Model Imagery As US Energy Department Signs Big Tech AI Deals

AI is showing up in two very different places this week: the fashion studio and the national lab.

On December 18, 2025, Zara began using AI to generate new fashion imagery from photos of real models. On the same day, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced collaboration agreements with 24 organizations, including Microsoft, Google, NVIDIA, OpenAI, and Anthropic, to advance its Genesis Mission for AI-powered scientific research.

So, what exactly is changing, who is involved, and what could it mean for creative work and scientific discovery?

Let’s explore!
 

TL; DR

 

• Zara is using AI to create fashion images faster using real models, while still complementing its creative teams.

• The US Energy Department has partnered with Big Tech to apply AI across national labs under the Genesis Mission.

• Companies like Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Anthropic will supply AI models, chips, and cloud infrastructure for scientific research.

• The move shows how AI boosts efficiency, while also raising concerns about creative jobs and dependence on big tech platforms.

 

What Is Zara Doing With AI Fashion Imagery?

Zara is using AI to help create new images of real models in different outfits, with the goal of speeding up production and reducing the need for additional shoots.

Inditex, Zara’s owner, said AI is being used to complement existing processes, not replace them.

Inditex added that it works collaboratively with models, agrees on usage mutually, and compensates in line with industry best practices.

Models were asked for approval to AI-edit their images to show different items and were paid as if they had done another shoot.

The move follows similar experimentation across fashion retail, including H&M and Zalando using AI-generated or AI-assisted imagery to move faster.
 

Why Is This A Big Deal For Fashion Creatives?

Industry voices are warning about downstream effects: fewer commissioned shoots can impact photographers, models, stylists, and production teams across the ecosystem.


Isabelle Doran, CEO of the Association of Photographers in London, said that the shift could reduce how often teams are commissioned, which can hit early-career creatives hardest.

The debate is especially notable for Inditex because its chair, Marta Ortega, has publicly shown strong interest in fashion photography, including exhibitions via the MOP Foundation in A Coruna.

The foundation’s exhibitions have featured major photographers, including Annie Leibovitz, and previously spotlighted others Zara has worked with.

At a brand level, it is Zara’s broader effort to move upmarket, focusing on fewer, larger flagship stores with a more premium feel.

While Zara applies AI to refine brand positioning, a much larger AI push is unfolding at the national level.
 

What Did The US Energy Department Announce For The Genesis Mission?

The DOE said it signed agreements with 24 organizations to advance the Genesis Mission, a national program using AI to accelerate scientific research and strengthen U.S. energy and security capabilities.

The department framed the program as a way to boost scientific productivity and reduce reliance on foreign technology.

Partners named by Reuters include major cloud and infrastructure players like Microsoft, Google, AWS, Oracle, and IBM, plus chip leaders like Nvidia, Intel, AMD, and HPE.

AI model companies in the set include OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, along with data and analytics provider Palantir and AI chip startups like Cerebras and Groq.
   

What Will Big Tech And AI Labs Contribute?

NVIDIA is expected to provide accelerated computing platforms and AI models to support scientific simulations.

Microsoft and Google will contribute cloud infrastructure and AI tools to support large-scale research workloads.

Oracle is expected to assist with building high-performance computing systems, while Palantir will support data integration and analytics.

OpenAI signed a memorandum of understanding under its “OpenAI for Science” initiative to deploy frontier AI models in national lab research environments and provide tools and workflows to DOE scientists.

Anthropic will provide Claude models and a dedicated engineering team to develop AI agents, model context protocols, and specialized Claude “skills” tailored for national labs.

The collaborations will target applications spanning nuclear energy, quantum computing, robotics, and supply chain optimization.
 

What Is The Bigger Context Behind Genesis?

The Genesis Mission was launched via a U.S. executive order in late November 2025, positioning it as a large-scale push to apply AI to scientific discovery and national priorities.

The initiative is meant to bring government, tech companies, and universities together, with the DOE and national labs playing central roles.

The mission builds on earlier DOE collaborations that deployed high-performance computing systems at national laboratories, and the DOE expects to expand partnerships further with academia and nonprofits.

With all this happening, do you think AI’s “efficiency promise” will land more positively in creative industries like fashion, or in high-stakes fields like scientific research?

Let us know in the comments below!