AI is shaping the fashion industry in innovative ways
AI is shaping the fashion industry in innovative ways, transforming it in 2024, according to Iman Zahid Hafeez, an MA Luxury Brand Management student, on Conde Nast College. The article covers five key ways AI is influencing fashion, focusing on sustainability, augmented reality, design and creativity, trend forecasting, and blended photoshoots.
The article shows examples of how AI helps by measuring environmental metrics during production, reducing waste, water usage, and carbon emissions; AI-based virtual try-on technology enhances online shopping experiences; AI analyzes data from images, streamlining the design process and preserving creativity; AI analyzes large sets of data, including social media, for quicker and more precise trend identification. And finally, Generative AI tools like DALL-E empower photographers to redefine fashion photography.
Generative AI is reshaping creativity
The State of Fashion 2024 report explores how generative AI is reshaping creativity in the fashion industry after its breakout year in 2023, on Business of Fashion.
The article discusses the impact of generative AI (Gen AI) on the fashion industry, following its breakout year in 2023. It emphasizes the emerging use cases across creative industries, particularly in design and product development.
Gen AI refers to algorithms pre-trained on large volumes of data (text, images, code) capable of creating new, complex content. Fashion executives show interest, with 73% considering Gen AI a priority in 2024. However, only 28% have implemented it in creative processes, suggesting untapped potential.
Equity funding for Gen AI-focused start-ups surged to $14.1 billion in H1 2023, showcasing strong investor confidence. Gen AI is applied in one-off use cases for cost, efficiency, and customer experience benefits. Examples include online shopping assistants, AI chatbots for product descriptions, and creative projects like runway shows and marketing campaigns.
Gen AI has the potential to significantly impact the fashion industry, with up to one-fourth of its value in design and product development stages. Fashion brands are using Gen AI to accelerate design processes, experiment with rapid iterations, and enhance creativity.
The article acknowledges potential job and workflow impacts. Despite caution, Gen AI is seen as more practical than previous technologies like the metaverse, with a significant increase in funding. Gen AI is viewed as a tool to enhance, not replace, human creativity. Fashion designers can benefit from Gen AI by focusing on curation, allowing the technology to handle manual tasks.
As Gen AI evolves, its potential to transform the fashion industry lies in end-to-end use, enabling and enhancing creativity across various segments. The article concludes by highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of Gen AI’s role in enhancing and unlocking creativity.
Amazon is using AI technology to help customers find clothes that fit when shopping online
Amazon is using AI to help customers find clothes that fit while shopping online according to the article, in TechCrunch. The average return rate for clothing ordered online is 24.4%, and Amazon aims to address this challenge with AI-powered features. Amazon introduced four AI-powered features: personalized size recommendations, a “Fit Insights” tool for sellers, AI-powered highlights from fit reviews, and reimagined size charts.
Personalized size recommendations involve a deep learning algorithm considering brand size systems, product reviews, and customer fit preferences in real-time. “Fit Review Highlights” extract information about apparel fit from customer reviews, providing an easy-to-read summary personalized to the user. AI is used to improve size charts by extracting and cleaning product size charts from multiple sources, resulting in more accurate and standardized charts.
Sellers gain access to AI-powered insights through the Fit Insights Tool, helping them understand customer fit needs and improve communication about sizing. These AI advancements are part of Amazon’s broader efforts to enhance the online shopping experience, including generative AI tools for product descriptions and images.
Generative AI: Unlocking Creative Potential in Fashion
Generative AI is considered worth the risk to amplify the creative process in the fashion sector in 2024, according to the article on Just-Style.
Beyond one-off use cases, generative AI offers disruption potential in the fashion industry. The report emphasizes using generative AI in an end-to-end manner to amplify creativity. In fast fashion, it can accelerate design, enhance agility, and use analytics to generate numerous designs rapidly. Generative AI could streamline manual tasks, freeing up designers for creative work.
The technology aims to augment human capabilities rather than replace them. The report advises clear communication about the potential of generative AI to avoid undermining the role of human designers.
Successful implementation should amplify creativity while retaining human skills. GlobalData’s job database reveals a growing interest in generative AI roles in the fashion sector. Leading companies like Amazon, Walmart, Tapestry, and Abercrombie & Fitch are actively seeking talent in this domain.
In summary, the fashion industry is poised to leverage generative AI not just for automation but as a tool to amplify creativity and efficiency, with a potential transformative impact on various aspects of the fashion value chain.
The landscape of AI fashion in 2024
The landscape of AI fashion in 2024 promises an exciting fusion of technology and creativity, transforming how we design and experience fashion, according to the article on The New Black.
- ? AI-Enhanced Design Images: AI makes fashion design more intuitive, democratizing the process and creating designs indistinguishable from real photos.
- ? Generative AI in Fashion Videos: Integration of AI in video technology transforms fashion presentations with 3D models, simulations, and dynamic showcases, streamlining marketing.
- ? AI Ambassadors: Brands can use AI-generated images and videos to create virtual ambassadors, providing high-quality visual representation and leveling the playing field.
- ?️ Better 3D Prototyping: Adoption of 3D design and prototyping expedites the design process, reduces costs, and meets the demand for personalized fashion.
- ? Streamlined Production Processes: AI in production improves communication with factories, minimizes errors, and accelerates the production process.
- ? AI in Customer Service: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants revolutionize customer service, handling inquiries and recommendations efficiently.
- ? Dynamic Pricing Strategies: AI analyzes market trends and customer demands for dynamic pricing optimization, keeping brands competitive.
- ? Blockchain and NFTs for Transparency: Integration of blockchain and NFTs enhances supply chain transparency, allowing consumers to trace garment lifecycles and promoting ethical manufacturing.
- ? Smart Fabric Developments: Emergence of smart fabrics introduces textiles with adaptive properties, enhancing personalization in clothing with features like temperature regulation and health monitoring.
- ? Better Diversity and Inclusivity: AI fashion models address industry criticism by authentically depicting a wider range of body types, ethnicities, and gender identities, fostering diversity and inclusivity.
Practical Examples:
- Zalando’s Shopping Assistant: Zalando uses a ChatGPT-based assistant for natural language-powered shopping, providing personalized recommendations.
- Casablanca’s Campaign: Casablanca partnered with an AI artist for its Spring/Summer 2023 campaign, showcasing efficiency gains by bypassing traditional photo shoot costs.
- Fashion Brands Using Gen AI: Snipes, Adore Me, Ganni, Collina Strada, Heliot Emil, Revolve, and Desigual are among the fashion brands experimenting with Gen AI for various purposes.
- Gen AI Software Impact: AiDA and Cala, Gen AI software for fashion, reduce manual tasks, enabling designers to produce multiple designs rapidly.
- Human-Centered Innovation: The article stresses the importance of human creativity, positioning Gen AI as a tool that augments designers’ roles toward curation rather than complete automation.
- Achieving Sustainability: Stella McCartney partners with Google Cloud for transparent supply chains, using machine learning for responsible sourcing.
- Augmented Reality: Burberry’s AR-based tool allows customers to virtually experience products in their surroundings, addressing sizing issues.
- Driving Design and Creativity: Tommy Hilfiger’s ‘Reimagine Retail’ project and Calvin Wong’s AiDA system generate designs based on AI insights.
- Trend Forecasting: Trendalytics leverages AI to evaluate fashion trends’ popularity and life cycle stages.
- Blended Photoshoots: Vogue Italia’s May issue showcases a collaboration between human and machine creativity using DALL-E.
