*This is an AI-powered machine translation of the original text in Portuguese.

**The image used in this article was created by a generative artificial intelligence.

One of the most discussed impacts of the exponential growth in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years has been the transformation of the labor market and various industries, especially those with a creative and intellectual focus. As we discussed in a previous post, the audiovisual and literary production industries have been facing conflicts since the advent of generative AI (GAI). In the audiovisual industry, for example, the shift of major production studios towards using GAI tools at the expense of the work of writers, screenwriters, and actors prompted the most recent strike by the Writers' Guild of America.

On the other hand, the transformation of creative industries through AI also fosters innovation by artists who use AI as a tool to explore new techniques and ideas while maintaining their own creative agency. In the world of fashion, the French brand Coperni has stood out for its use of various technologies as a form of artistic performance in its fashion shows. At the September 2022 Paris Fashion Week (PFW), the brand went viral for creating a dress on model Bella Hadid in real time, using a sprayable fabric application.[1] In the following PFW, the brand's performance involved robotics, with the Boston Dynamics robot dogs, Spot, walking down the runway alongside models. In a memorable moment from the show, a model approached one of the robots as if to kiss it, and the robot removed its jacket and returned it. At other times, models received bags from the brand.[2] According to W Magazine, the program notes alluded to the concept of humans and machines working together.[3]

In the most recent PFW in September 2023, Coperni's incorporation of technology into its runway show was less performative. Here, the brand integrated AI into wearable and discreet devices: Humane's AI pins.[4] According to a TED presentation by Humane's co-founder, Imran Chaudhri, these are wearable devices with sensors and AI, but no screens. Unlike a smartwatch, they don't need to be connected to a smartphone. Humane aims to eliminate screens as a barrier between technology and the real world and intends for the AI pin to replace the smartphone.[5]

The incorporation of technology into Coperni's runway shows seems to suggest the inextricability of technology from almost all aspects of modern society. Both fashion and technology, including robotics and AI, are essential elements of our zeitgeist.

However, technology, specifically AI, is increasingly making its presence felt in fashion not just from an artistic standpoint but also from an economic perspective. According to a McKinsey report, GAI could add between $150 billion and $275 billion to the operating profits of the fashion and luxury sectors in the next three to five years. GAI has the potential to impact the entire fashion ecosystem, from creating designs with greater commercial success to reducing marketing costs, hyper-personalizing customer communications, and speeding up processes. It can also reshape supply chains, logistics, store operations, and support functions.[6] The application of GAI as a design tool is being promoted in the industry. To this end, an AI Fashion Week was held in April 2023, featuring virtual collections produced with GAI, where designers competed for the prize of having their collection produced physically and distributed by the retail group Revolve.[7]

In summary, AI is already a part of the cultural landscape in fashion and is being applied in the industry as a production tool. However, the application of AI in the fashion industry is still poised to grow. While this industry seems to embrace technology for its potential for innovation and process acceleration, economic issues related to the labor market may still emerge as the technology is put into practice, as seen in other creative industries.

[1] Source: https://exame.com/pop/como-funciona-o-vestido-de-spray-usado-por-bella-hadid/. Accessed on 10/13/2023.

[2] The recording of the runway show is available at: https://coperniparis.com/pages/autumn-winter-2023. Accessed on 10/13/2023.

[3] BATEMAN, Kristen. How Coperni Doubled Down on Tech and Fashion for Fall 2023. W Magazine, March 5, 2023. Available at: https://www.wmagazine.com/fashion/coperni-fall-2023-paris-fashion-week-review. Accessed on 10/11/2023.

[4] DAVIS, Wes. The Humane Ai Pin makes its debut on the runway at Paris Fashion Week. The Verge, September 30, 2023. https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/30/23897065/humane-ai-pin-coperni-paris-fashion-week. Accessed on 10/11/2023.

[5] The Disappearing Computer: An Exclusive Preview of Humane’s Screenless Tech – Imran Chaudhri. TED, May 2023. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMsQO5u7-NQ. Accessed on 10/13/2023.

[6] Generative AI: Unlocking the Future of Fashion, McKinsey & Company, March 8, 2023. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/generative-ai-unlocking-the-future-of-fashion. Accessed on 10/13/2023.

[7] SCHULZ, Madeleine. What to expect at the first AI Fashion Week. Vogue, April 5, 2023. Available at: https://www.voguebusiness.com/technology/what-to-expect-at-the-first-ai-fashion-week? Accessed on 10/13/2023.