It is no secret that Artificial Intelligence (AI) had has a huge impact on industries across the globe these past few years, and the fashion or retail industry is no exception. It has embedded itself into practically every division of the fashion industry, be it the production process, design process, manufacturing process, distribution process, or how to improve customer acquisition or retention. And, there is a good reason for that, the benefits that this technology has introduced as opposed to the traditional methods are vast. According to a study by Capgemini, “analysts have estimated that global annual spending on AI by retailers is estimated to reach 7.3 billion by 2022”, and that AI has the potential to save retailers up to “$340 billion annually.”  

Now, when we talk about the product photography process, technologies like AI-enabled on-model imagery solutions are helping retailers cross a lot of the obstacles that come with traditional product photography. In this article, we will be focusing on the benefits of AI-enabled product imagery and how it helps brands overcome the hurdles of traditional photography. 

The Traditional Method Of Product Photography 

Now, when we talk about the difference between traditions vs. AI-generated product photography, we first need to understand the obstacles that come with the traditional method. First and foremost, let’s talk about the cost of the traditional method, so for a traditional product photoshoot, you will need– a photographer, diverse models, studio space, transportation, a post-processing facility, hair-make-up artist, equipment, the cost of re-shoot if you don’t like the images, etc. All of this combined can put a serious strain on your budget, especially when you have to repeat this process for every new collection.

Next, we have to consider the total amount of time this entire process takes. One of the major problems with traditional product photography is definitely its timeline. This whole process takes at least, if not more, up to two weeks and has to be done every time you want to launch a new collection. In a fast-paced industry like fashion, where you have to put out new collections every other week, this can be a major drawback for your brands. Moreover, the amount of waste produced with this method is highly unsustainable for the environment, again a major concern. 

Arunava Acharjee

(Product Marketing Manager)

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AI-Enabled On-Model Imagery– The One-Stop Solution


AI-enabled on-model imagery refers to the use of AI technology to generate on-model product images without the added costs that comes with traditional photoshoots. This technology, not only saves you time and money but also, optimizes the entire production process, saving you the hassle of a traditional photo shoot. So let’s break down these benefits into two sections– cost benefit and time benefit. Firstly, AI-generated product images can save you tons of production costs. With this technology, brands don’t have to endure the expenses of–  hiring ten different types of diverse models, photographers, equipment, studio space, editing costs, etc. All of this combined can save the retailer up to 75% production cost. 

Not only this, but AI solutions also give you the freedom to edit or customize the images as much as you want, you can experiment with different model types, poses, or make any changes you want, without having to worry about adding to the production cost. Now secondly, with AI-generated product imagery, you can get things done 5x faster than the traditional process. This technology eliminates the need for a traditional photoshoot, so you don’t waste any time arranging photographers or models, or dealing with the logistical issues of a traditional shoot. Getting your product images in hours instead of weeks. 

Major brands around the world are slowly moving towards this technology for their production process, for example, Tommy Hilfiger recently teamed up with IBM to develop an AI tool to help them reduce the cost and enhance their traditional design process. In fact, Steve Laughlin from IBM recently told Forbes that, “AI can assist design teams by enhancing and reducing overall lead times, and expand their creative discovery by analyzing and remembering insights from thousands of images and videos using computer vision. Also, designers can detect how they can integrate trending colors, key patterns, and styles”.

To Conclude

We can say that AI-generated On-Model Imagery is revolutionizing the traditional photography process in the fashion industry. It has brought in a number of advancements and enhanced the product development process by at least ten folds. Adopting this technology is not only becoming essential to streamline the traditional photography process, but also for saving on cost and time. With the number of benefits it has, AI-generated product imagery is sure to replace the traditional method in the future.