The challenges and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the fashion industry are going under the microscope at the ASBCI conference on 16 October in Halifax, where expert speakers and early adopters from across the sector will come together for a deep dive into this rapidly evolving field.
From trend prediction, product development and stock optimisation to personalised marketing, customer journeys and retail design, AI tools are poised to disrupt the entire fashion value chain, driving innovation and creating competitive advantages, as well as giving rise to new risks and raising ethical questions around exactly how we exploit this new technology.
The ASBCI’s upcoming conference will explore how the industry can harness the rewards while mitigating the risks and fulfil its responsibilities to people, planet and business.
From technology experts and those at the forefront of AI innovation to retailers pioneering AI tools, the conference will provide cases and highlight the potential benefits as well as consider the legal, ethical and sustainability risks associated with these technologies.
Jack Stratten, head of trends at retail trendspotting agency Insider Trends, will deliver the keynote presentation. Insider Trends works with major retail brands including Galleries Lafayette, Westfield and Tommy Hilfiger to identify what’s next in retail. Stratten will provide an overview of innovation and AI in retail, highlighting the positives and negatives in the real world, in real time.
Cedric Hoffman, co-founder of AI-powered supply chain platform Amebawill, will explore the power of AI to improve real-time supply chain transparency and actionable insights. Hoffman will highlight how AI that automatically extracts and structures relevant product and supplier information from existing communication flows is helping businesses improve operational efficiency and make space for innovation and growth.
Nick Eley, head of digital creation at ASOS, will provide the retailer’s perspective on the rise and integration of AI into product design and presentation. He will explain how the use of 3D software, AI, and emerging technology is driving innovation and efficiency at ASOS, enhancing creativity, streamlining workflows and reducing time to market.
Elsewhere, Andrew Dalziel from software provider Infor, will consider how AI could revolutionise areas such as demand prediction and inventory optimisation to enhance the customer experience.
Focusing on the creative process, Peter Gallagher-Witham and Jon Smith, co-founders of The Fashion Guild, will explore the benefits and threats of AI in the design process and share their experience of AI image generation software, asking whether it will lead to revolution or redundancy.
Personalisation expert Sarah McVittie from Dressipi will explain how harnessing AI insights can help brands and retailers combat overproduction. Passionate about reducing the terminal stock waste from overproduction, McVittie will explore the size of the problem, the changes required, and how to achieve these using AI tools.
Linked to this is AI’s potential to tackle another intractable industry issue – size and fit. Jason Wang, chief operating officer of Alvanon, has been pivotal to the company’s AI developments in this field, and he will share his expertise on how emerging technologies can help brands and retailers better cater to their customers’ fit requirements.
Meanwhile, Norv Bell, founder of The Bureau model agency, will discuss AI’s legal minefield when it comes to intellectual property, rights and HR, and Simon Platts, co-founder and board advisor at Recomme.co and ASBCI director, will share his expertise on AI’s use in supply chains, sustainability and double materiality.
Further exploring the sustainability angle is Abbie Morris, founder of Compare Ethics, which covers sustainability, policy and business, scaling environmental and human rights, compliance and AI technology. Jenny Holloway from Fashion-Enter will also discuss how innovation and AI are transforming sustainable and ethical production by balancing efficiency with craftsmanship.
Commenting is ASBCI Chair, Julie King.
“Understanding the risks and potential of AI is a key priority for the fashion industry and one that touches on so many of the challenges our members are facing. But with so many tools under the AI umbrella and such rapid and far-reaching change, it can be challenging to keep on top of developments and cut through the noise to understand what we should and shouldn’t be doing, when and how. This conference is an unmissable opportunity to explore the topic from all angles and perspectives at what is a pivotal moment for the industry.”
The conference will take place at The Arches in Halifax on Wednesday 16 October. It will be hosted by ASBCI Chair Julie King and event director Elizabeth Brandwood and is sponsored by Infor and Ameba. Registration is from 9.00am and places can be booked via the ASBCI office. Please contact asbcioffice@asbci.co.uk. A limited number of early bird places are available until 30 September.
