In the ongoing age of the digital revolution, individuals, companies and entire industries must constantly adapt. As the acceptance and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in everyday life continues, industries face the challenge of balancing technology and tradition.
This is exactly what industry professionals discussed at the 2024 AI in the Textile and Fashion Industries conference. Hosted by the Fashion and Textile Business Excellence Cooperative, the one-day conference kicked off with a welcome speech from Dean David Hink and a keynote presentation by Data Science Academy Executive Director Ray Lavy. Additionally, six speakers from the Wilson College of Textiles and the College of Engineering delivered speeches on the use of AI in their areas of expertise followed by two panel discussions between company executives.
The first panel, AI Fashion Industry Overviews, primarily focused on the use of AI in operations, marketing and management as well as the ethical implications, challenges and opportunities posed by this technology. This panel featured
The second panel, AI Textile Industry Overviews, explored the specific applications and practical impacts of utilizing AI technology within individual companies. This panel featured
Though each panel addressed unique points and concerns, the discussions revolved around three primary themes: the acceptance of AI as a tool, the potential for specialized applications within each level of the industry and the protection of employees
1. Acceptance of AI as a tool
When asked if AI should be considered a threat or a tool, panelists agreed with the latter. Though they all acknowledged the need for boundaries and intentional applications, the majority consider AI to be a highly beneficial resource.
One example given involved a situation where an employee who specializes in data collection and analysis spends 70% of their working time simply organizing data and only 30% analyzing and interpreting. The implementation of secure AI software could significantly cut down on manual organization and the potential for human error, allowing the specialist to better focus their time to the ultimate benefit of the company.
Additionally, the panelists repeatedly referenced that these tools should not be one-size-fits-all. They mentioned that executive leadership must consider the real needs of their employees and foster the development of tools that aid in everyday tasks, rather than causing unnecessary frustration for workers. Without these considerations, companies will be subject to much more harm than good for their employee morale and bottom line.
2. Potential for specialized applications
The possibilities are endless with machine learning. This means that there is potential to implement specialized AI programming in each sector of the industry.
Consider the five major links of the supply chain in the textile industry: raw material production, fiber production, fabric production, end product manufacturing and retailers. Producers rely on high-tech machinery, so the continued automation of this technology using AI-driven software is a natural progression. Panelists gave examples of how their companies utilize AI for production applications including real-time troubleshooting, quality inspection, data collection and more.
From a retailer perspective, AI can quickly and accurately generate predictive analytics, inventory models, and trend and sales forecasting. Considering the seasonal and cyclical nature of the fashion industry, the ability to increase the efficiency of both time and resources while keeping up with quick turnaround times is a major perk, especially as customers become more accustomed to technology and the digital sales landscape.
A key factor in the development of these specialized applications is the quality of data. Because these tools are reliant on the input of data to conduct operations, it is crucial to supply high-quality, accurate and thorough information to properly train the tools.
3. Protecting and prioritizing workers
When asked about challenges, multiple panelists mentioned the delicate balance of incorporating new technologies into established workflows. Since the first discussions of AI, the potential replacement of workers with technology has been a key concern. Because of this, there is an emphasized need to proactively protect employees and use their experience to your advantage in the initial stages of development.
Realistically, proactive protection means transparency and accountability at a company level. As of now, there are no standardized protections surrounding the replacement of employees with AI, meaning corporate leaders ultimately get to make the final decision. With this concern at the forefront of the conversation, they acknowledged the importance of getting employees involved and making big transitions gradually.
“Resistance to change is one of the single biggest difficulties we have to overcome,” Frank Henderson said. “Some of the best ideas in the world come from the people actually doing the job, so let them help you understand what they’re doing and create solutions based on that.”
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