{"id":706532,"date":"2025-11-18T14:05:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T11:05:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=706532"},"modified":"2025-11-18T14:05:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T11:05:04","slug":"the-vogue-business-ai-tracker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=706532","title":{"rendered":"The Vogue Business AI Tracker"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Technology<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Vogue Business<\/em> AI Tracker<\/h1>\n
By <\/span>Amy O\u2019Brien<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

November 18, 2025<\/p>\n

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    Photo: Shauna Summers\/Death to Stock<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n
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    The Vogue Business AI Tracker keeps a record of the most important AI developments that will influence our industry and our world, each week. From venture capital investments and startup launches to product drops and regulatory updates, we\u2019ll make sure you never miss a beat when it comes to the AI news that matters.<\/em><\/p>\n

    November 18, 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Daydream launches AI agent shopping app for iPhone.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Julie Bornstein\u2019s startup Daydream, which describes itself as the \u201cfirst chat-based AI shopping agent built exclusively for fashion\u201d, is designed to make shopping easier for consumers. Previously only available in beta as a desktop website, Daydream is now launching an iPhone shopping app. It\u2019s chosen to go deep on iOS integration by incorporating Apple\u2019s visual intelligence \u2014 the AI-powered feature that allows users to point their cameras at objects and texts to identify them \u2014\u00a0so that Daydream users can search and shop directly from any screenshot on their phone. In practice, Daydream says this means consumers can screenshot an Instagram post and insert the image into the app to identify and shop featured products, closing the loop between visual inspiration and purchase.<\/p>\n

    November 11, 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Snapchat owner inks deal with Perplexity to introduce AI search.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, saw its shares surge up to 16% this week, after announcing a $400 million partnership with Open AI rival Perplexity AI, to integrate its AI search engine within the Snapchat app. From early 2026, Perplexity will appear in the Snapchat Chat interface, so that its nearly one billion monthly active users can ask questions on any topic and yield real-time conversational answers, powered by Perplexity\u2019s generative AI.<\/p>\n

    The deal opens up a big new revenue stream for Snap, which will charge Perplexity $400 million over the course of a year to access its user base. Perplexity has recently been embroiled in a number of copyright infringement cases, including from News Corp, as well as a recent lawsuit from Amazon over the use of its AI agent to shop on customers\u2019 behalves without their consent. The deal with Snap gives the platform some timely validation. In a statement announcing the news, Snap made clear its AI ambitions, saying: \u201cThe partnership underscores Snap\u2019s growing role as a trusted platform for AI partners to reach a large, engaged, mobile-native audience.\u201d Meanwhile, Snapchat will also use the conversations users have with Perplexity to \u201chelp enhance personalization on Snapchat\u201d, doubling as a clear in-app ad revenue driver.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The news:<\/strong> Pinterest CEO says platform is exploring the potential for agentic shopping.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> On Pinterest\u2019s Q3 earnings call, investors wanted to know what the social platform is planning for the future of agentic commerce. CEO Bill Ready told investors that Pinterest already offers \u201cpush button-type shopping\u201d through its partnership with Amazon, and it is gathering data to see if users actually want its AI model to \u201cpush the button for them\u201d. The questions come a couple of weeks after Pinterest announced it will soon launch a voice-enabled AI shopping assistant, which allows Pinterest users to talk to the platform about what they\u2019re searching and shopping for. This will yield personalized recommendations drawing from users\u2019 saved pins and collections.<\/p>\n

    4 November 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Nvidia becomes the world\u2019s first $5 trillion company<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Three years ago, before the arrival of generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Nvidia\u2019s valuation was $400 billion. Last week, it became the first $5 trillion company in the world. Nvidia makes software and hardware like graphics processing units (GPUs) and chips that power AI models. CEO Jensen Huang said the company had already secured $500 billion in orders of its AI chips for the next five quarters,\u00a0which sent its stock rallying. Nvidia\u2019s record-breaking valuation signals just how much promise investors believe AI technology has \u2014\u00a0but it also comes at a time when there is limited data showing how AI has improved efficiencies. Talks of an AI bubble are rife, and every bubble has to burst. Fashion companies using AI tools may not be affected by an investor bubble bursting, but it would send shockwaves through markets if the tech doesn\u2019t live up to its promise.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Amazon cuts 14,000 jobs amid AI push<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Last week, Amazon joined the growing cohort of blue-chip companies across the world announcing sweeping workforce cuts. The Big Tech company said it would cut up to 14,000 jobs from its corporate workforce. It comes a week after Target announced it was cutting 8% of its corporate staff (around 1,800 jobs) in its first major round of layoffs in 10 years. Although neither company directly attributed the cuts to AI, analysts have pointed to what they both have in common: the cuts are being made to white-collar roles within corporate teams, which are viewed as particularly ripe for AI automation, rather than jobs within their factories. It\u2019ll be interesting to see if more retailers follow suit \u2014\u00a0and if this corporate focus becomes a trend.<\/p>\n

    28 October 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Aerie releases \u201creal people\u201d anti-AI campaign.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters:<\/strong> Aerie, American Eagle Outfitters\u2019s lounge and lingerie brand, last week released an Instagram campaign with a strong anti-AI message. \u201cReal creativity at its best. Here\u2019s our team, behind the scenes of our holiday shoot. No retouching. No AI. 100 per cent Aerie Real,\u201d read the caption accompanying the campaign launch post, which features BTS shots of Aerie\u2019s festive campaign shoot cast and crew. The brand, which previously swore off Photoshop in its campaigns, has been known to centre its messaging around human \u201crealness\u201d; this latest effort underscores how divisive AI-made campaigns have become.<\/p>\n

    While some advocates for AI images argue they get rid of creative constraints, the biggest backlash against brand experiments with AI-generated images so far has surrounded campaigns that seem like they could have been made without AI. Some analysts say that human-made content will soon become the ultimate marker of luxury. Will more brands follow Aerie\u2019s lead this festive season?<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Meta is reportedly laying off 600 employees from its AI division.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Facebook and Instagram owner Meta is cutting some 600 staff from its so-called Superintelligence unit, the company\u2019s AI division, according to multiple reports. The news was first reported by Axios, who cited an internal employee memo. \u201cBy reducing the size of our team, fewer conversations will be required to make a decision, and each person will be more load-bearing and have more scope and impact,\u201d Meta\u2019s chief AI officer Alexandr Wang wrote in the memo to employees, according to Axios\u2019s report. It\u2019s a turnaround after the company went on an AI hiring spree earlier this year, that included the hiring of Wang himself, and comes amid broader speculation that the tech industry is heading for an \u201cAI bubble\u201d that has seen AI companies receive mega investment before delivering on business fundamentals. Investors\u2019 eyes will be closely watching Meta\u2019s competitors to see if they soon follow suit.<\/p>\n

    21 October 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Frasers Group partners with Commercetools to build out agentic AI capabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters:<\/strong> In September, ChatGPT launched its \u201cagentic commerce protocol\u201d (ACP), an open-source tech standard that allows various AI agents from companies like Perplexity, Google and Microsoft to interact with each other, connect to different commerce systems and complete purchases, in partnership with Shopify and Commercetools. Now, Frasers Group is working with Commercetools to become one of the first European retailers to roll out two agentic commerce products, AI Hub and Agent Gateway.<\/p>\n

    The company said this partnership will allow shoppers to discover and purchase products from Frasers Group\u2019s retailers like Sports Direct and Flannels directly within AI shopping channels such as ChatGPT and Google AI when their integrated checkout features land in Europe. It\u2019s the first major announcement from a European retailer indicating an intention to launch AI shopping agents \u2014\u00a0which would search, select and purchase products on behalf of the customer \u2014\u00a0when the tech is ready.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Pinterest introduces the option for users to remove AI-generated content from their feeds.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Pinterest\u2019s new controls allow users to personalise their feeds and opt out of seeing AI-generated imagery across specific categories, including home decor and beauty, as well as men\u2019s, women\u2019s and children\u2019s fashion. The tech company said it will also make its existing AI-generated labels more noticeable in the coming days. For Pinterest, it\u2019s a move that indicates just how business-critical transparency is around AI, and gives us an idea of the intensity of the backlash the platform has received against such content \u2014\u00a0a highly controversial subject when it comes to creative forms like image and video.<\/p>\n

    14 October 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Revolve launches AI-powered personal styling tool.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> The US multi-brand retailer tapped fashion entrepreneur Sandy Sholl\u2019s AI startup Zelig to power its new \u2018Build a Look\u2019 onsite feature. Revolve customers can now mix and match items from the site and style them on digital avatar models \u2014\u00a0all enabled by Zelig\u2019s combination of generative AI and computer vision, as well as input from IRL stylists, the brands claim. Revolve has also launched a \u201cdigital closet\u201d feature for shoppers to save desired items as well as those purchased. It\u2019s the latest personalisation play from an online retailer, as they race to enhance their websites with the latest AI capabilities, to retain engagement as more shoppers adopt AI search. While individual brands like Ralph Lauren and Moncler are investing in bespoke features that replicate their in-store experiences online, for multi-brand players, retaining a USP in the age of AI is an even tougher challenge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The news<\/strong>: OpenAI\u2019s Sora app hits one million downloads, faster than ChatGPT.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: OpenAI exec Bill Peebles, who is in charge of the tech firm\u2019s new Sora video-generation app, announced that Sora reached one million app downloads in under five days \u2014 a faster take-up than when the company released ChatGPT in November 2022. It gives us an idea of just how high consumer demand is for visual experiments through AI \u2014\u00a0the app is currently invite-only and available exclusively to users in North America. It also comes amid creator copyright concerns over the AI\u2019s use of their work. If the app grows rapidly before the company has proper controls and protections in place, there could soon be a vast amount of AI-generated content published with likenesses to original works.<\/p>\n

    7 October 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> OpenAI CEO Sam Altman promises creators more \u201cgranular\u201d controls over Sora 2\u2019s content usage.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Just four days after OpenAI launched Sora 2, its new invite-only video generation app, CEO Sam Altman took to his online blog to promise creators of copyrighted characters more \u201cgranular\u201d controls, \u201csimilar to the opt-in model for likeness but with additional controls\u201d, over the use of their creations by the app. He said the company had been \u201ctaking feedback\u201d from rightsholders and app users and would work to \u201cfix the missteps very quickly\u201d as it develops OpenAI\u2019s video generation tools. This prompt response from Altman reflects just how contentious image use for AI tools is right now, while wider regulation to protect creatives\u2019 IP is yet to be seen. For now, legal experts say for brands wanting to experiment with AI images and video, the onus is on them to establish permissions from creators and properly attribute their use, to avoid individual copyright cases.<\/p>\n

    30 September 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> California Governor Gavin Newsom signs AI safety law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters<\/strong>: It\u2019s the first in-nation law that forces developers at major US-based AI companies to publicly disclose their AI safety and security protocols, and includes whistleblower protections for AI workers, in what analysts are saying could set a benchmark for other states to follow. But it also moves in direct opposition to Trump\u2019s recent AI action plan, which all but deregulates the development of AI at these companies on a national level. As the state that houses much of the Silicon Valley tech companies at the forefront of AI development, California is the closest to their inner workings, but brands operating at a national level will need to watch how other regional governments react, and if this policy influences the ongoing regulation battle at a federal level.<\/p>\n

    The news<\/strong>: OpenAI launches ChatGPT Checkout.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Instant Checkout removes the friction for ChatGPT users \u2014 where they previously searched and discovered products on ChatGPT, before clicking through to make the purchase on a brand\u2019s own site, this new feature omits that final step, shortening the purchase journey. It has big implications for brands\u2019 partnership decisions, advertising strategies, and how they design their websites to appeal to both human customers and LLM \u201ccrawlers\u201d. Find out more about what it means for fashion here.<\/p>\n

    23 September 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Meta debuts three new AI smart glasses models, but demos fail.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: At Meta\u2019s annual Meta Connect conference on 17 September in California, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the first AI smart glasses with an in-lens display, the Meta Display glasses, designed to replace the wearer\u2019s need to get out their phone. But the live tech demos featured a couple of glitches. A demo of the AI glasses\u2019 ability to interpret cooking ingredients in front of the lenses and give the wearer recipe instructions misinterpreted the selection of raw ingredients as a half-cooked dish, and the glasses failed to pick up a live Whatsapp video call demo between Zuckerberg and Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Bosworth later took to Instagram to explain why the demos went wrong. It wasn\u2019t down to the Wi-Fi, as Zuckerberg suggested onstage, but down to the amount of Meta AI glasses in close proximity during the demo, which caused a flood of traffic to Meta\u2019s live AI server, according to Bosworth. It\u2019s a reminder of just how many pieces of the puzzle are required for this nascent tech to function. At $799 a pop, consumers will expect their buzzy AI glasses to work, so Meta has its work cut out to fix any bugs before they become available for US consumers at the end of the month.<\/p>\n

    16 September 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news<\/strong>: US Federal Trade Commission launches inquiry into AI \u2018companions\u2019 used by teens.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Tech companies including OpenAI, Meta and Google are being probed by the US regulator over AI chatbots that provide \u201ccompanionship\u201d, after a series of high-profile suicides and harm among young people linked to their interactions with the tech. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ordered the companies to share information about how their AI chatbots develop characters and personas, and how they monetise this kind of engagement. It\u2019s also asking tech firms to disclose what measures they have in place to avoid harm, especially among young people, and how they handle personal data from the conversations.<\/p>\n

    Given that a primary hesitation among luxury brands in their adoption of AI is the risk of losing consumer trust, the industry should watch the case closely. As user trust in conversations with generative AI grows, analysts say this trust will extend to other online activities like shopping. But as AI regulation becomes increasingly fragmented, more of the onus is on brands to develop their own guardrails. The results of the inquiry should provide key insights for brands that are grappling with developing their own AI ethics, and could inform industry standards in future.<\/p>\n

    9 September 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Fraudsters use AI to fake defects on resale platforms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters<\/strong>: A disturbing trend has been called out on fashion social media this week \u2014\u00a0some buyers on resale platforms are using AI image generators to fake defects on received items to get refunds. On resale platforms, trust hangs in the balance between a seller\u2019s description of their garment condition and what the item actually looks like. Although a number of the fake defect attempts called out on social media are amusingly bad, some are more realistic, thanks to recent improvements in AI image generators and their usage becoming more commonplace. When Vogue Business<\/em> reached out to the main resale platforms, they said this was not yet a business concern \u2014\u00a0suggesting that this type of fraud is still in its infancy. But in order to retain trust, resale platforms will have to stay on the front foot of this new risk,\u00a0which could mean investing in an enhanced verification process like videos for buyers making defect claims, which is an added cost for the platforms that could be passed onto users. Vinted told Vogue Business<\/em> it is \u201cclosely monitoring the evolving use of AI among our members to ensure it remains consistent with the platform\u2019s usage guidelines\u201d.<\/p>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Shein appears to use an AI Luigi Mangione as a T-shirt model.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Shein has opened an internal investigation after the product image for a men\u2019s shirt listing on its website featured a model that resembled Luigi Mangione, the person accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year. The online retailer has now taken down the image, and told press in a statement: \u201cThe image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery.\u201d But the image was online long enough to be shared widely on social media, with speculation surrounding whether it was generated using AI. Mangione has amassed a cult following among some in the US who frame him as a folk hero, in opposition to the US healthcare system. This fuelled a surge of clothing emblazoned with Mangione\u2019s face and name being sold online on retailers like Etsy and Ebay. Connecting the dots, this incident is a stark reminder of the importance of human oversight at brands experimenting with AI for more routine image needs like product listings. And it\u2019s a very stark reminder of how undiscerning the AI image generators themselves are at this point \u2014 they crawl the good, the bad and the ugly of the internet to produce their images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The news<\/strong>: Amazon launches Lens Live instant AI image scanning tool.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Amazon already had a visual search tool, Amazon Lens, which allowed customers to upload images or scan barcodes to discover products. But this new live component brings the retailer more in line with Google Lens and Pinterest Lens \u2014\u00a0shoppers can now point their phones at things they see before them in the real world, and Amazon\u2019s app will suggest similar or matching products on its platform. The new feature will initially be rolled out to \u201ctens of millions\u201d shoppers in the US, and the company has not said when it will be rolled out to further US customers or into other markets. The live lens feature will also integrate with Amazon\u2019s AI shopping assistant Rufus for more product information. It\u2019s clear that Amazon is investing big in its AI-powered shopping features, and this represents the biggest multimodal search development on a retailer\u2019s own platform thus far. How long until competitors follow suit?<\/p>\n

    1 September 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news<\/strong>: ChatGPT-5 meets critique.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: The initial buzz around the launch of ChatGPT-5 and its \u201cPhD-level\u201d knowledge this month has wound down, amid criticisms of the update as somewhat underwhelming. Social media users, tech influencers and journalists abound have commented on the tool\u2019s tendency to \u201challucinate\u201d as well as only marginal improvements in its natural language style. One thing that could benefit fashion, however, is OpenAI\u2019s big new emphasis on health \u2014 the company wants users to consult ChatGPT like their doctor. But why does this affect fashion brands? Experts tell me that when users are confiding in the tool about their health, and it\u2019s giving them useful recommendations, their trust in the tool will increase exponentially. Trust will likely then extend to other avenues, such as shopping queries and style advice. Let\u2019s see how this plays out in the coming months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The news<\/strong>: J Crew sparks backlash for unlabelled AI campaign imagery.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: This week, newsletter Blackbird Spyplane<\/em> published a visual investigation of J Crew\u2019s latest campaign \u2014\u00a0the launch of a collab with Vans \u2014\u00a0in which the images gave a strong indication they\u2019d been generated by AI. Spyplane<\/em> managed to uncover the creator of the images \u2014\u00a0AI photographer Sam Finn. This sparked widespread backlash on social media and within fashion communities,\u00a0partly because the brand hadn\u2019t credited the use of AI for its images, and partly because, as Spyplane<\/em> put it, J Crew had \u201cused AI to counterfeit their own vibes\u201d. The images in question resemble J Crew\u2019s catalogue imagery from its late \u201980s to early \u201990s heyday, which made the use of AI for such an authentic vintage aesthetic even more puzzling to internet critics. The brand has yet to confirm its use of AI, but it did update the campaign instagram post to credit Finn for the \u201cdigital art\u201d. (J Crew has not responded to Vogue Business<\/em>\u2019s request for comment on the campaign.) It\u2019s the latest in a string of AI image controversies across fashion that shows just how thorny the issue is within creative communities. Is there a way that fashion brands can get AI images right?<\/p>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Meta partners with Midjourney on AI images and video.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Meta made its first move into AI image generation last year, when it launched image generation tool Imagine on its Facebook, Instagram and Messenger platforms. Now, it\u2019s partnering with Midjourney \u2014\u00a0which is widely viewed as one of the best AI image generation tools on the market \u2014\u00a0to \u201cbring beauty to billions\u201d, according to chief AI officer Alexandr Wang. It\u2019s the latest move from Meta in its huge AI investment push, and could now enable it to develop image and video products that compete with Google\u2019s Veo and OpenAI\u2019s Sora \u2014\u00a0and could impact the visual content consumers grow more accustomed to seeing on its social platforms.<\/p>\n

    26 August 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Meta is implementing an AI hiring freeze, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters<\/strong>: After spending the past few months hiring over 50 AI researchers, Meta has hit pause, the tech giant confirmed to The Wall Street Journal<\/em>. The hiring freeze coincides with a wider restructuring of Meta\u2019s AI teams, which involves splitting them into four divisions. As AI becomes an increasing priority, businesses are not only competing in an AI talent war, but they are having to figure out the internal infrastructures, too. Already, investors are concerned about the stock-based compensation tech giants are offering AI talent, which could dilute shareholder value.<\/p>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Google adds agentic capabilities to AI Mode search function.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: The agentic update allows AI Mode to make restaurant reservations with multiple constraints and preferences (\u201cI only have an hour and need a quick lunch spot, any suggestions?\u201d). The feature will soon expand to local service appointments and event tickets. The update signals a major step towards AI assistants functioning as agents and navigating real-world systems, rather than just a smart search engine. AI Mode has previously only been available in the US, the UK and India, but now Google has rolled it out to over 180 additional countries.<\/p>\n

    The news<\/strong>: Meta is offering AI translations for creators to expand their global reach.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters<\/strong>: Meta AI translations \u2014 a tool that dubs and lip-syncs reels on Facebook and Instagram into another language \u2014 will now be available for English to Spanish and Spanish to English translations, with further languages in the pipeline. The move has the potential to help creators grow audiences in new markets, boosting the creator economy even further.<\/p>\n

    19 August 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> ChatGPT-5 launches for businesses.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Hot on the heels of OpenAI\u2019s rollout of ChatGPT-5 to consumers and developers last week, the company has extended the model to its enterprise customers. Spanish bank BBVA and Zara owner Inditex have already adopted the updated tool \u2014\u00a0Inditex data and AI lead Oscar Mateos took to LinkedIn to say, \u201cGPT-5 feels less like a tool and more like an expert collaborator who\u2019s always one step ahead.\u201d Who will be the first luxury conglomerate to adopt the upgraded tech?<\/p>\n

    13 August 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Stitch Fix announces AI shopping updates in personalisation push.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters:<\/strong> Stitch Fix is seeking a competitive edge as several dedicated, AI-powered personal styling startups burst onto the scene \u2014\u00a0including Daydream, which was founded by former Stitch Fix COO Julie Bornstein, and has so far raised $50 million in funding to support its development. Stitch Fix has previously deployed AI to understand personal style and predict trends, but claims that a new suite of AI-powered personal styling features will \u201cincrease personalisation, convenience and inspiration\u201d for its users. The updated features include: an AI style assistant for customers, which uses generative AI to suggest outfit inspiration based on the taste profile it builds from their data over time; a \u201cStylist Connect\u201d platform for customers to chat to human stylists; virtual try-on \u201cpersonalised AI style visualisation\u201d; and AI design integration for its private brands.<\/p>\n

    12 August 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> OpenAI launches ChatGPT-5, touting its knowledge as a \u201cmajor upgrade\u201d from ChatGPT-4.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> We\u2019ve been waiting for this update for a while (the last GPT-4 update was in March 2023), and the developments within OpenAI\u2019s technology are a key indicator of how far AI has come, and what brands should know it can do. In OpenAI CEO Sam Altman\u2019s words, \u201cGPT-3 sort of felt like talking to a high school student, GPT-4, maybe it was like talking to a college student. But with GPT-5, now it\u2019s like talking to an expert, a PhD-level expert in anything, any area you need, on demand.\u201d OpenAI also says its new model beats the LLMs from competitors Google, X and Anthropic. Perhaps most interestingly for brands, Open AI says the new model is more conversational than ever, which could have implications for customer interactions with their brands both in ChatGPT search for shopping, and their chatbot interactions.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Pinterest CEO pitches the platform as an \u201cAI-enabled shopping assistant\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters:<\/strong> In the company\u2019s second-quarter earnings call, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready said the app\u2019s users don\u2019t necessarily think of it as a shopping platform, but that its experiments with AI mean they\u2019re actually getting proactive recommendations for products that \u201calign with their taste and their style, the way a really great personal shopping assistant would\u201d. Ready said the platform is also using multimodal AI (combining text and images), AI for visual search, and AI for conversational search. It\u2019s one to watch for brands, as consumers move to more niche social platforms for product discovery.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Google says AI search is increasing, not decreasing, traffic to websites \u2014 but doesn\u2019t share data to back up its claims.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Some industry analysts suggest that the rise in AI-powered conversational search is decreasing organic traffic to websites. This week, Google rebuffed these claims as \u201cinaccurate\u201d. \u201cAverage click quality has increased and we\u2019re actually sending slightly more quality clicks to websites than a year ago (by quality clicks, we mean those where users don\u2019t quickly click back \u2014 typically a signal that a user is interested in the website),\u201d Google\u2019s head of search Liz Reid wrote in a blog post. Yet the blog cited no data \u2014\u00a0and the reports it was challenging do. Google isn\u2019t the only AI-powered search engine, either. ChatGPT is increasingly being used for consumers\u2019 shopping searches. AI optimisation is emerging among marketers to try to increase their sites\u2019 chances of appearing in search \u2014\u00a0here\u2019s what brands need to know about the nascent practice.<\/p>\n

    5 August 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Mark Zuckerberg says those without AI smart glasses will be at a \u201csignificant cognitive disadvantage\u201d in future.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Meta had a big week last week, beating revenue and profit expectations in its second-quarter earnings. It\u2019s good news for CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has been investing heavily in AI, and will be wanting to reassure investors that the company is in a position to do so. Zuckerberg seized the good news opportunity to go in even harder on the company\u2019s AI ambitions. Not only did he announce that the company\u2019s AI models will soon reach human-like \u201csuperintelligence\u201d, but he reinforced his belief that AI-powered glasses will be the primary way humans interact with AI in coming years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    \u201cI continue to think that glasses are basically going to be the ideal form factor for AI,” Zuckerberg told investors on the earnings call. \u201cI think in the future, if you don\u2019t have glasses that have AI \u2014 or some way to interact with AI \u2014 you\u2019re probably going to be at a pretty significant cognitive disadvantage.\u201d Meta has something of a first-mover advantage in the world of smart glasses, but Google, OpenAI and Apple are among the other Big Tech players investing in wearables\u2019 AI promise. Read more about Meta\u2019s smart glasses moves here.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Experts say AI is developing much faster than expected.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> We\u2019re used to tech CEOs shouting about the potential of AI. But when experts including Nobel Prize winner Geoffrey Hinton\u00a0say the technology is developing much faster than they ever anticipated, it adds even more fuel to the fire. Examples of AI models\u2019 accelerating developments are everywhere:\u00a0this week, Meta\u2019s model began correcting itself.<\/p>\n

    Since Trump more or less deregulated the sector in the US, there\u2019s barely anything standing in these companies\u2019 way. This means global brands need to get to work on developing internal AI guardrails, especially if they\u2019re handling lots of consumer data across jurisdictions (like the EU) that are stricter on AI.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Apple says it is \u201cvery open\u201d to acquisitions this year to catch up to competitors on AI.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> Apple has got some stick for being slower to the so-called \u2018AI race\u2019 than its Big Tech peers, which is mostly down to the company\u2019s prioritisation of protecting consumer data and privacy. At the company\u2019s earnings this week, though, CEO Tim Cook was eager to show investors it\u2019s willing to spend more. \u201cWe\u2019re very open to M&A that accelerates our roadmap,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are not stuck on a certain size company, although the ones that we have acquired thus far this year are small in nature.\u201d Much of the company\u2019s acquisitions so far have focused on music, events and AI. It\u2019s worth keeping an eye out for any wearables-related acquisitions in the coming months, given the ubiquity of the company\u2019s audio devices.<\/p>\n

    29 July 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Google launches AI shopping mode in the UK.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters:<\/strong> Google launched its AI Mode search feature for shopping in the US in May, and the UK rollout this week indicates its plans to expand the number of consumers who shop using the feature \u2014 and fast. AI Mode uses Google\u2019s generative AI tool to produce a chat-style interface for users, giving them a conversational search experience in which they can converse back and forth, and ask more specific questions. Three other AI shopping features rolled out on Google in the US \u2014 virtual try-on, Gemini-powered personalised shopping recommendations, and agentic price-match comparisons \u2014 are yet to be announced in the UK.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s particularly relevant for shopping. Some 80 per cent of consumers now rely on AI-written results for at least 40 per cent of their searches, according to Bain & Co. All this means ad agencies and marketing teams have shifted their focuses from SEO (search engine optimisation) to what\u2019s been coined \u201cAIO\u201d (AI optimisation). Learn more about emerging AIO practices in fashion here.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> UK government signs \u201cstrategic partnership\u201d with OpenAI in AI investment push.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> The UK is eager not to get left behind in the so-called \u2018AI race\u2019 between the US, Europe and China, and this is the latest sign it\u2019s keen to attract more investment to Britain\u2019s AI sector. The government\u2019s plans to use more of OpenAI\u2019s technology to deliver public services will likely mean that the technology is trained on citizen data. In turn, OpenAI is planning on hiring more UK staff for its research and engineering teams, and increasing the size of its London office, as per the plan. ChatGPT maker OpenAI is currently one of the most powerful companies in the world, and President Trump\u2019s new AI Action Plan shows how eager each government is to persuade the tech company \u2014\u00a0and its competitors \u2014\u00a0to develop their tech on their soil.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The news:<\/strong> Trump unveils US AI Action Plan and signs three AI executive orders.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> The 28-page \u2018AI Action Plan\u2019 aims to build out the country\u2019s AI infrastructure, cement America\u2019s dominance in the industry and prohibit all federal agencies from using AI contractors that don\u2019t comply with the White House\u2019s definition of \u201cideological neutrality\u201d. The new policies reverse several Biden-era federal AI safeguards related to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and climate change, block state-level regulations on AI and further relax export rules so that global companies rely deeper on US-built AI. The move to get rid of existing AI regulations places further onus on individual companies to establish their own AI guardrails, especially if they operate across countries and jurisdictions. The US-centric policy also presents key challenges for fashion\u2019s global supply chain and consumer base, which you can read more about here.<\/p>\n

    22 July 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The news:<\/strong> OpenAI has shown some brands a pilot of a checkout feature that would enable users to complete purchases within its ChatGPT platform, according to a report by the Financial Times<\/em>. It would charge brands commission for sales made this way.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> When users search for products, ChatGPT currently shows recommendations with links to click through to brands\u2019 own e-commerce sites. Bypassing this step opens up a clear revenue stream for OpenAI, but could significantly impact brands\u2019 online sales. Those whose websites are picked up easier by ChatGPT would hold a significant advantage over those whose aren\u2019t. No one\u2019s quite sure what makes large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT tick yet, but there are some key practices emerging that could help brands optimise for AI search.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> WeTransfer has U-turned on plans to use UGC to train AI, after a revision in its terms of service caused widespread backlash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Why it matters:<\/strong> Copyright protection has long been in place to safeguard creatives like photographers against their work being used without permission. Tech companies\u2019 training of AI models on their work is proving a thorny issue within the fashion and creative industries, as it poses a risk of copies, duplication and direct competition \u2014 ultimately threatening their source of income. Given that WeTransfer is widely used within the creative industries, the company\u2019s U-turn represents the perceived reputational risk that openly training AI models on creative work can cause.<\/p>\n

    The news:<\/strong> Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said the company will build a data centre \u201cthe size of Manhattan\u201d to fuel its planned development of AI products.<\/p>\n

    Why it matters:<\/strong> It\u2019s the latest in a string of moves from Meta \u2014 which owns Instagram, Whatsapp and Facebook \u2014\u00a0that demonstrate the scale of the investment it\u2019s making in developing AI products. Data centres are hugely expensive to build and maintain, and the size of what Zuckerberg is suggesting would cost billions of dollars. Zuckerberg has been very bullish on the potential for the company\u2019s AI smart glasses in particular, and talk of Meta buying a stake in its Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses co-creator EssilorLuxottica has intensified in the last month.<\/p>\n

    Sign up to receive the Vogue Business newsletter<\/em>\u00a0for the latest luxury news and insights, plus exclusive membership discounts.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at<\/em>feedback@voguebusiness.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

    Source URL: http:\/\/vogue.com\/story\/technology\/the-vogue-business-ai-tracker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Technology The Vogue Business AI Tracker By Amy O\u2019Brien November 18, 2025 Photo: Shauna Summers\/Death to Stock The Vogue Business AI Tracker keeps a record of the most important AI developments that will influence our industry and our world, each week. From venture capital investments and startup launches to product drops and regulatory updates, we\u2019ll […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":706533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-706532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-vogue-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/706532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=706532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/706532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/706533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=706532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=706532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=706532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}