Debenhams Group reportedly enacts redundancies in move to AI imagery

Debenhams Group has reportedly carried out a handful of redundancies as it expands the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across image creation.

According to sources for Drapers, less than five redundancies have taken place to date within the studio department, which includes photography, hair and makeup, retouching, casting and production.

The media outlet was further informed that models were not being booked for campaign imagery, with garments said to be photographed on a mannequin before being digitally imposed onto an AI-generated model.

Sources claimed that the recent shift to AI, driven by the group’s studio director Jon Till, was not formally communicated to staff.

In a statement to Drapers, a spokesperson for Debenhams Group said: “Over 99.9 percent of our imagery features human models, who we continue to work with across all of our campaigns and brand activity. Like many retailers, we are also exploring the use of AI-generated content too.”

The news comes amid a continued transformation for Debenhams Group, led by CEO Dan Finley, who has notably set out to prioritise AI-powered innovation, among other things. At the crux of the strategy is a business-wide shift to a marketplace model, which has also included an evaluation of the ‘Youth Brand’ category.

The group’s turnaround plan has now delivered a fixed cost exit rate of 130 million pounds, reduced from 175 million pounds for FY26. This puts the company on track to meet its 100 million pound target, reflecting its pivot to an increasingly asset-lite model.