The Rise of AI in Fashion: Timeline of Jobs Displaced as Virtual Stylists and Photography Roles Disappear

The Rapid Advancement of AI in the Fashion Industry: What It Means for Creatives

In recent months, the fashion industry has witnessed an unprecedented surge in artificial intelligence (AI) innovations, signaling a significant shift in traditional roles and workflows. From virtual models to AI-powered styling, these technological advancements are reshaping the landscape at a breakneck pace. Here’s a chronological overview of how AI is transforming fashion, with a focus on recent developments.

Key Milestones in AI-Driven Fashion Innovation

January 2025: AI-Generated Models Take Center Stage

Back in January, startup Botika secured $8 million in funding. Their platform enables small brands to replace traditional human photographers with AI-created fashion models almost instantly, streamlining production and reducing costs (source).

May 2025: Virtual Try-Ons and Shareable Avatars

May saw two notable breakthroughs. First, Doji raised $14 million to develop AI-driven avatars designed for social sharing, making virtual try-ons more engaging and TikTok-friendly (source). Simultaneously, Google launched “AI Mode,” a feature that instantly brings virtual try-on technology to millions of products across its platform (source).

June 2025: Full-Stack AI Stylists Emerge

Just two weeks ago, Alta raised $11 million to introduce a comprehensive AI stylist that can fully replace human stylists, offering personalized fashion advice without traditional support (source).

Recent Creativity Breakthroughs

Two days ago, FASHN AI launched a hyper-realistic, high-resolution virtual try-on model capable of generating 1-megapixel images—eliminating the need for human models in commercial styling visuals (source). Today, Google Doppl announced the release of an automated