The Rise of AI in Fashion: When Fashion Photography Jobs Disappear and Virtual Stylists Face Closure — A Timeline of AI’s Impact

The Rapid Rise of AI in Fashion: A Timeline of Transformation

The fashion industry is experiencing a swift and profound technological upheaval. Traditional roles such as fashion photographers, stylists, and visual creators are facing unprecedented challenges as artificial intelligence (AI) tools mature at an extraordinary pace.

Recent developments underscore a clear trend: AI is increasingly automating core creative functions, reshaping how fashion content is produced and consumed. Let’s examine a timeline of key milestones over the past several months to understand the scope and speed of this transformation:

• January 2025: Tech startup Botika secures $8 million in funding. Their AI-powered fashion models can instantly replace human photographers, particularly benefiting small brands seeking affordable visual content. Read more.

• May 2025: Doji raises $14 million, bringing AI-generated avatars into the spotlight. These virtual try-on tools enable users to share and interact with fashion in social media environments like TikTok, enhancing engagement and virality. Details here.

• May 2025: Google launches “AI Mode,” allowing billions of products to feature virtual try-ons powered by AI. This broad implementation signals a significant shift toward automated, scalable styling experiences. Learn more.

• Two Weeks Ago: Alta raises $11 million to develop a comprehensive AI stylist platform, capable of replacing traditional stylist roles entirely. This innovation promises to democratize styling services and reduce reliance on human professionals. More info.

• Two Days Ago: FASHN AI unveils a hyper-realistic virtual try-on model with 1-megapixel resolution, eliminating the need for human models in commercial styling imagery. This highly detailed AI model sets a new standard for virtual fashion showcases. [See details](https://fashn.ai/blog/fashn-v1-6-our-best-virtual-try-on-model-yet-now-at-864-x-1296