Embracing the Present: The Accelerated Shift of AI in Replacing Fashion Photographers and Virtual Styling Experts

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

The fashion industry is experiencing a seismic shift driven by artificial intelligence, and the pace of change is accelerating at an unprecedented rate. Traditional roles such as fashion photographers, stylists, and creative directors are being challenged—and in many cases, replaced—by cutting-edge AI technologies. Here’s a look at how swiftly this transformation is unfolding, with recent milestones that underscore the industry’s rapid evolution.

A Week of Breakthroughs in Fashion Tech

In just the past seven days alone, significant developments indicate that AI’s foothold in fashion is solidifying:

• January 2025: A startup called Botika secures $8 million in funding, leveraging AI to generate fashion models that can instantly replace human photographers for smaller brands. This innovation streamlines the production process and reduces costs (source).

• May 2025: Doji raises an impressive $14 million, introducing AI-generated avatars designed for social sharing during virtual try-ons—a feature reminiscent of TikTok’s engaging style (source).

• May 2025: Google launches “AI Mode,” a new feature that enables virtual try-on experiences across billions of products, making AI-powered shopping more accessible than ever (source).

• Two Weeks Ago: Alta, a notable player in the industry, raised $11 million to develop a comprehensive AI stylist platform capable of replacing traditional human stylists entirely (source).

• Two Days Ago: FASHN AI launched its latest hyper-realistic virtual try-on model, achieving a resolution of 1 megapixel, effectively removing the need for human models in commercial styling imagery (source).

• Today: Google Doppl officially goes live, allowing AI to