According to figures by Fashion United, the fashion industry is worth around £1.65tn globally. Creativity is often upheld as a niche human quality, however, the rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI), risks eliminating a number of creative and fashion jobs. A paper prepared by PwC for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, predicts that technology threatens devastating job losses over the next 20 years in wholesale and retail; transport and logistics; and manufacturing. The report suggests that as many as 30% of UK jobs could disappear within this period. A high-level exploration of how AI is and could affect the fashion sector moving forward.

How can AI influence the fashion industry? Rafaella de Freitas explores how AI is expected to streamline supply chains, improve sales forecasting and provide a more personalised shopping experience to customers.