TOP AI + METAVERSE FASHION NEWS OF THE WEEK 04.30.2023
THE LUXURY GUIDE TO THE METAVERSE
Where to buy the most covetable virtual clothes, view the top real estate and fight the swankiest zombies.
My feet make a satisfying tapping sound as my red-haired avatar prances through Gucci Town, Gucci’s metaverse shopping experience in Roblox. I somehow keep doing backflips without meaning to as I make my way through a world where the sky is light pink and all around me are mesmerising gardens filled with flowers. Birds chirp pleasantly in the distance, but I’m cranky about the metaverse already because, like a grandmother with a new smartphone, I don’t really understand it yet.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need VR goggles to access all the excitement the metaverse has to offer — most of the time you can enter using your laptop, but the goggles certainly provide a more immersive experience. I’m wearing the?TCL NXTWEAR S?goggles, a chicer (albeit slightly less immersive) alternative to other more recognisable pairs like Meta ’s Oculus. They look like bulky Ray-Ban Wayfarers, and while they float slightly awkwardly above my nose, they do the job of making me from my living room feel like I’m part of a new world.
While in Gucci Town I have a very full day. Roblox, the popular gaming platform where the town is located, has a cartoonish aesthetic that instantly makes the experience feel playful. I visit its museum, which features giant models of Gucci purses “hand-selected by the creative director and vault archivists”, with short histories on each. I explore a café with croissants I desperately want to try but can’t figure out how to eat, and accidentally smash into a lifesize bottle of Gucci Bloom perfume on my way out. I stare at it lifelessly, then move on. I visit the virtual store, which has bags, skateboards, cushions and jackets available for purchase as NFTs, with prices ranging from 85 to 2000 Robux, the platform’s currency (400 Robux cost ￡4.99). I try to make friends, but quickly learn that my avatar is incredibly unpopular.
To understand the growth of the metaverse, one needn’t look much further than the world of luxury, where brands are vying to plant their flags in virtual spaces. Gucci Town is just one of the many luxury metaverses that have recently cropped up. While, on the surface, luxury and virtual reality aren’t the most obvious pairing, brands are working to ensure that the virtual world will one day provide a highly sought-after complementary experience to opulence on the outside.
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WITH GENERATIVE AI, LUXURY HOPES TO FINALLY CRACK DIGITAL CLIENTELING
On the back of ChatGPT’s rise, brands are testing new services that could personalize and scale clienteling services in previously unreachable ways.
On?Kering ’s experimental KNXT platform, users meet Madeline, a ChatGPT-based luxury personal shopper. “Ask me anything and I will do my best to surprise you with luxury pieces,” it says, and “give me as much context as possible,” it adds, so that it can pull recommendations from a product list provided by?Kering . As opposed to a Google search for “white cotton dress”, a shopper might write, “I am looking for a dress to wear in Rome in May” to receive a recommendation for a white floral?Giambattista Valli ?dress, plus insights such as, “The Italian fashion capital is known for its chic yet effortless style, where comfort and elegance go hand in hand [sic],” and “Dressing in light and airy fabrics is also key during the warmer months, making this dress a perfect fit.”
Since?OpenAI ’s?ChatGPT ?tool opened up to developers last month, luxury brands are testing generative AI to improve their personal shopping capabilities in a way that can scale. Brands can integrate these into their websites and apps, while specifying parameters such as which product assortments to pull from. German e-tailer?Zalando ?has just announced that it is testing a “fashion assistant” powered by ChatGPT on its app and website, where customers can ask similar prompts, in an effort to make the process more “intuitive and natural”. Peer-to-peer marketplace?Mercari, Inc. ?just launched a shopping assistant called Merchat AI, using?ChatGPT ?tech, which follows up on prompts with questions that further dial in to customer preferences and needs, such as brand, colour and style, before making a series of recommendations. E-commerce personalisation provider Bloomreach, used by?Neiman Marcus Group ?and?Benefit Cosmetics , just integrated OpenAI into the company's content management solution (CMS).?
These tools are chattier and more true to human conversations than chatbot predecessors, which typically used pre-programmed decision trees to guide customers through a series of questions and answers. However, is it smart and personable enough to transform clienteling?
“For commerce and fashion, what really has changed is being able to leverage GPT-4 as a translation layer to take prompts and requests that [language] models would not be able to understand and translate them into fashion and product picks,” says?Jake Stark , co-founder of?ShopWith AI , a startup that uses?GPT-4 (the newest version?that launched in March?via paid subscription) and other tools to provide style advice and product recommendations from a curated database of independent brands from both text and image prompts.?
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AI MODELS ARE HERE. CAN THEY ACTUALLY IMPROVE FASHION REPRESENTATION?
Brands experimenting with AI are finding ways to represent people from marginalised groups in digital form — with mixed responses from consumers and industry insiders. Here’s how to get it right.
When?Levis’Store ?announced plans to experiment with AI-generated models to increase diversity on its e-commerce channels, it received swift backlash. Creating an avatar of a person of colour — rather than hiring a real person — seemed like a way to profit from the appearance of diversity without having to invest in it. It also raised a debate over whether AI could be used to improve representation in fashion in a way that benefits marginalised groups.?
Michael Musandu , the CEO and founder of digital model studio?Lalaland.ai , which partnered with Levi’s on the AI models, says his goal is not to replace traditional photography and physical models, but rather supplement them by allowing brands to be more time-efficient and offer a personalised shopping experience, and that inclusion must play a role in the process. “We believe human models will continue to play a vital role in the fashion industry, establishing genuine connections with consumers; our technology aims to support this. And, yes — we need more of them to come from underrepresented groups if fashion companies are serious about inclusion efforts,” he says.?
Part of the backlash to the Levi’s experiment stemmed from the discomfort surrounding the use of AI to replace humans. Brands and AI companies need to tread carefully, even when the intentions of diverse AI model representation is ostensibly to allow customers to see what they look like in clothing. The use of AI models raises questions around who is profiting, what representation is actually “real” versus manufactured and the intention of those powering the technology.?
Through a different lens, AI could open up opportunities for brands to fight biases if they’re on board to help provide data to programme algorithms with inclusivity from the start, and for models (particularly from underrepresented backgrounds) to be paid for their digital likeness. “Empowering diverse models by giving them the means and protection to capitalise on their digital twins through licensing agreements is essential,” says?Dale Noelle , founder of?TRUE Model Management - Fitting Models, Showroom Models, Print Models - FIT Models ?Management, which has a 3D body scanner at its New York headquarters which it uses to create digital versions of its models.
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METAVERSE MARKETING: TOP 6 STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD
Let’s explore some strategies for success in Metaverse marketing
?? Understand the Metaverse Landscape
Before you dive into Metaverse marketing, it is essential to understand the Metaverse landscape. The Metaverse is a complex ecosystem of virtual worlds, games, social platforms, and other digital environments. Each of these platforms has its unique features, demographics, and engagement patterns. Understanding these nuances is crucial to developing a Metaverse marketing strategy that resonates with your target audience.
?? Create Engaging Virtual Experiences
One of the most effective ways to engage with consumers in the Metaverse is to create immersive and interactive virtual experiences. From virtual pop-up shops to branded games, these experiences allow consumers to interact with your brand in new and exciting ways. For example, fashion brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton have created virtual fashion shows that allow users to experience the latest collections in 3D and engage with the brand on a deeper level.
?? Leverage NFTs for Marketing
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a popular way for brands to engage with consumers in the Metaverse. NFTs allow brands to create unique and limited-edition digital assets that can be used for marketing and promotional purposes. For example, Adidas recently launched a limited edition NFT collection that included virtual sneakers that users could wear in the Metaverse.
?? Partner with Influencers and Creators
Partnering with influencers and creators is an effective way to reach new audiences in the Metaverse. Many influencers and creators have built large and engaged followings in virtual worlds like Second Life and VRChat. By partnering with these individuals, brands can tap into their audiences and leverage their influence to promote their products or services.
?? Embrace Social Media in the Metaverse
Social media platforms like?Facebook Horizon?and VRChat are becoming popular virtual spaces for users to connect and engage with each other. Brands can leverage these platforms to build communities and engage with users in the Metaverse. For example, brands can create virtual events, run contests, and host Q&A sessions with users to build brand awareness and loyalty.
?? Measure and Optimize Your Metaverse Marketing Efforts
As with any marketing strategy, it is essential to measure and optimize your Metaverse marketing efforts continually. By tracking key performance indicators like engagement, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction, you can identify areas for improvement and optimize your Metaverse marketing strategy over time.
?? read more by?Blockchain Magazine :
BRANDS CAN NOW HIRE SUPERMODEL EVA HERZIGOVA'S DIGITAL TWIN
The model has participated in an elaborate process to digitise her likeness and movements, allowing her to extend her career and appear in never-before-possible projects. But, creating a digital twin opens up a world of questions.
Supermodel Eva Herzigová has one of the most recognisable faces in the world. She has appeared on runways, ad campaigns and magazine covers around the world during the more than 30 years she has been working as a model. Now, at 50, her likeness has the chance to work in perpetuity thanks to a highly accurate, three-dimensional digital twin of herself that she created with?virtual production studio Dimension Studios ?and agency Unsigned Group.?
The “metahuman” will give future developers and creators the opportunity to dress and style her face and body in ad campaigns of the future. She even recorded her runway walk —?plus a myriad of facial expressions —?to better inform future animations.?
Metahumans like Herzigová’s can be used in a range of projects, ranging from lifelike still photography or two-dimensional videos that mimic the types of photoshoots with which Herzigová is familiar. This also extends to use in virtual and mixed reality, including animated videos and content that wouldn’t otherwise be possible, such as?appearing in metaverse spaces, games or within other fictional digital landscapes . Characters can be digitally dressed, posed and lit, receive digital hair and makeup styling, and their bodies and facial expressions can be animated. Dimension Studios co-founder and co-CEO Simon Windsor likens it to a high-quality game avatar. Herzigová says the process felt like she was “giving birth to herself”.
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IS METAVERSE FASHION JUST A FAD? HOW WEB3 IS TRANSFORMING E-COMMERCE?
?? For all of the furore surrounding the metaverse, the role of fashion within this exciting new Web 3.0 ecosystem raises many eyebrows. The process of converting physical fashion ranges into digital lines for digital avatars to wear and users to collect has been heavily explored by high profile fashion houses seeking to explore a new market, but will it amount to anything more than a fad?
There’s little doubting the appetite that users have for digital fashion today. According to the Future of Marketing Institute,?47% of consumers?are interested in digital clothes, while an impressive 87% have already purchased some form of digital fashion.?
Digital fashion could be seen as an extension of avatar customization stores that have become commonplace in the world of gaming. Today, it’s not unusual to see high-end brands partner with video games to release limited content within stores to help players to decorate their characters in more varied ways.?
?? Fashion’s Relationship with the Metaverse
The beauty of fashion in the metaverse is that it can be an excellent means for prestigious fashion brands to market impactfully to young, technologically literate, consumers. The moves of leading names in fashion into the metaverse were quick. In 2021,?Gucci ?Garden became an online game within the Roblox metaverse whereby users could buy the brand’s designs like handbags and other accessories online. Balenciaga also launched a?VR fashion?collection of Fortnite skins for player characters to wear in-game using the title’s own virtual currency.?
More recently,?Nike ?also launched its own foray into the metaverse in the form of Nikeland, which acted as a virtual store where customers could try on a range of digital products.?
Interestingly, brands like Nike and?Burberry ?have opted to price their virtual goods in parity to their physical counterparts. Although buying some virtual?Nike ?sneakers won’t mean you’ll ever be able to hold them in your hand, the sportswear designer believes that this can be a valuable means of delivering a greater level of utility to prevent NFT clothing becoming a fad.?
?? Contending with Obstacles
While creating digital fashion as NFTs can be highly versatile in virtual spaces, this isn’t necessarily something that the metaverse can support. At present, many companies are creating different environments that?may not become unified?in a way where users can showcase their digital fashion on a larger scale.?
This can be a tricky obstacle for metaverse fashion. When users pay big money for digital garments, it can be a great way of creating a virtual identity, but this can be compromised if, say, your $100 digital sneakers can’t come with you from one platform to the next.?
read more by?Real Business UK :
9 COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR AI JOBS
AI job seekers should be prepared to answer common interview questions on their experience, skills and approach to AI-focused projects.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing field, and as a result, the job market for AI professionals is expanding. AI job interviews can be particularly challenging because of the?technical nature of the field. However, technical expertise is not the only factor that interviewers consider. Non-technical candidates who can demonstrate an understanding of AI concepts and an eagerness to learn are also valued.
Technical candidates should be prepared to answer questions that test their knowledge of machine learning algorithms, tools and frameworks. They may be asked to provide detailed explanations of their past projects and the technical solutions they used to overcome challenges. Additionally, they should be prepared to answer questions about data preprocessing, model evaluation and their experience with AI-related tools and frameworks.
Non-technical candidates should focus on their understanding of the transformative potential of AI and their eagerness to learn more about the field. They should be able to explain the importance of data preprocessing and cleaning and provide an understanding of how machine learning algorithms work. Additionally, they should be prepared to discuss their ability to collaborate and communicate with team members and their methods of staying up-to-date with the latest developments in AI.
Here are nine common interview questions for AI jobs. While these are common interview questions for AI jobs, it's important to keep in mind that every job and company is unique. The best answers to these questions will depend on the specific context of the role and the organization you are applying to.
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1. What motivated you to pursue a career in AI?
2.?What experience do you have with AI-related tools and frameworks?
3. Can you describe a machine learning project you worked on?
4. How do you approach?data preprocessing and cleaning?
5. How do you evaluate the performance of a machine learning model?
6. Can you explain the difference between supervised and unsupervised learning?
7.?How do you keep up with the latest developments in AI?
8.?Can you describe a time when you faced a difficult technical challenge and how you overcame it?
9. How do you approach collaboration and communication with team members in an AI project?
read more by?Cointelegraph :
BOSS LAUNCHES SPORTSWEAR CAPSULE WITH NFL PLAYERS
German fashion label?HUGO BOSS ?has revisited the iconic style of American football jerseys by teaming up with the National Football League. The sportswear capsule was unveiled with a campaign featuring the league's players and champions, including Micah?Parsons?of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants legend Victor Cruz.
While football has always been popular in fashion, American football is also appealing to brands. In a collection that pays homage to the players' commitment on the field and their passionate fans, Boss highlights legendary teams from the American football league such as the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Los Angeles Rams and the Miami Dolphins.
Combining style and passion for football
The "Play?like a boss" capsule includes hoodies, sweatshirts, t-shirts, polo shirts and tracksuits in black, white and blue. The 52, 100% cotton garments feature embroidery or raised print details to combine style and practicality.?
"We are delighted with this new partnership with the NFL and to be able to offer our customers a wide range of clothing featuring their favourite teams. This collection pays tribute to the players and the high level of training they put in season after season with a strong, all-encompassing message about what it means to commit and play like a boss," said Marco Falcioni, head of creative direction at?Hugo Boss?in a statement.
The creative direction of the campaign was entrusted to journalist Trey Laird - who has worked with?Tommy Hilfiger,?Karl Lagerfeld?and?Diane von Furstenberg?- and stars American football players as well as models?Joan Smalls?and?Taylor Hill. The fashion photographer for the campaign was Matthew Brookes.
AT AI FASHION WEEK, HUMAN CREATIVITY REMAINS THE FOCUS
New developments and widespread availability in artificial intelligence technology have created a gold rush that’s edging closer to the dot-com boom day by day. Between the metaverse and AI, it seems no one really wants to think about real life anymore. It makes sense; who isn’t attracted to what’s shiny and new??
As the founder of AI creative studio?Maison Meta ,?Cyril Foiret ?is committed to the shiny and new. This past weekend, he launched?AI Fashion Week?at?Spring Studios ?in New York. In a room on the sixth floor where industry insiders have watched many fashion shows,?24 screens displayed “runway” images created with a variety of imaging software. At first glance, many of them looked like standard catwalk images, complete with fashion show guests; others, meanwhile, seemed to have been photographed in the desert or the rainforest. Instead of sitting on benches, people milled about, having drinks or taking pictures of the screens with their phones, wearing a neon wristband of a different color that identified them as media, competitors, or the general public.
Despite the name—and the runway images—AI Fashion Week was not actually a fashion week, but rather the launch of a competition. The public can take part by visiting the?AI Fashion Week website?and using the web browser on their phones to vote for the collection they like the best. The top 10 collections will then be judged by a panel of industry experts that includes Dame Pat McGrath,?Vogue?Japan’s head of editorial content?Tiffany Godoy , and?Erika W. -Sneyd of the?adidas ?Studio Web3, among others, who will select a group of three winners whose work will be produced and sold by?REVOLVE ?for the real world.
“The idea is to become a competition similar to the?LVMH ?Prize, where we’re going to launch new designers,” Foiret explained. “Either they’re already in the fashion world or not, but by using these tools, they’ll be able to enter it through their aesthetic and their ideas.” Foiret believes that “everyone in the fashion industry will implement AI into their workflow one way or another,” but bridging that gap isn’t the only goal of AI Fashion Week. Foiret is just as interested in the manufacturing of what he called images with “Vogue-quality results.” Participants were also encouraged to create street style or backstage images that would “provide a more complete picture of [their] vision and increase [their] chances of being selected for the next round.”
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MEET?Lorena Bello ávila , THE WINNER OF THE VOGUE SINGAPORE X METAVERSE FASHION WEEK COMPETITION
Vogue ?Singapore by?Indran Paramasivam
?? Congrats on Metalove,?Lorena Bello ávila ! How does it feel to win?
?? It’s unbelievable! Just being in the top three was huge for me. It was a dream come true. If you’re a designer, you aspire to be featured in?Vogue . I feel over the moon, like I’m somewhere in the universe, in a house on Mars, perhaps!
?? Before we get into your collection, let’s talk about your story. What made you want to design clothes in the metaverse?
?? I don’t know if it’s something that happened by chance, or naturally. My path in 3D design and digital fashion began during COVID-19. I used to work in traditional fashion and I had started working with 3D, just because I was fascinated by all its possibilities. But this was before the metaverse exploded.
?? From your standpoint as a designer, why is the metaverse the next frontier of fashion?
?? The metaverse is the game-changer. It brings fashion to a totally new world and a new economy. Fashion is crossing into a new frontier where it’s not just about what you wear. It’s becoming about how that self-expression translates into a new world. This gives a fashion customers a new experience as well as a new market. It’s giving fashion a new life. Brands are creating new relationships and new forms of interaction with their customers. There are more lines of business than before. Back then, you could only sell in-store or online. Now, you can even sell for gaming.
?? What was your philosophy behind ‘Metalove’?
?? I wanted to create something playful and colourful and that was also an expression of celebration, because love is a celebratory feeling. I think that there’s nothing more important than love in our real lives. In the metaverse, you can be whatever you want to be. You are not limited by physical boundaries. Love is a light that guides us. So, it’s only right that we convey love with the full spectrum of expression in the metaverse.
?? Lastly, as much as humanity’s strides into the digital space are advancing, what keeps you inspired as a creator?
?? I’m very inspired by what I feel. I’m constantly evolving. The Lorena that is designing today is not the same person as the one designing last year. We’re changing every day—it’s natural. So, I want to keep evolving but to be true to myself. Even if people don’t like what I make,?I?must like it.?I?must be true to myself.
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FIRST-EVER AI FASHION WEEK DEBUTS IN NYC: "A NEW REALM OF CREATION"
The future of fashion is artificial intelligence — and trendsetters are getting with the program for?the first-ever AI fashion week in New York, which will showcase the digitally created works of emerging designers in tech.
Designers familiar with buzzy AI software like Midjourney have created full collections of 15 to 30 looks,?designed 100% virtually, which will be presented on “models” walking a runway. Creatives also have “carte blanche” with the production design. Immersive experiences range from a traditional catwalk setting — complete with the chaotic backstage and A-list front row — to fantasy worlds featuring everything from beaches to dinosaurs.
Held April 20 and 21 at Soho’s Spring Studios — the same location as New York Fashion Week — a select number of collections will be shown on screens at the venue, which is open to the public on Friday.
Voting will?take place online beginning Thursday?while judges including legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath will help select a winner, announced in May.
But their designs won’t just exist virtually: With support through the fashion/tech incubator in partnership with the?REVOLVE ?Group, the winner’s physical garments will be available to purchase IRL at trendsetting e-commerce giant, Revolve.
Cyril Foiret , founder of AI creative studio?Maison Meta ?which is producing AIFW, told The Post that more than 400 people from all over the world, as far as Israel and several local designers here in New York, have entered the competition.
“AI fashion week hopes to pave the way for a new realm of creation,” he said. “We really think the?AIFW platform will make big?waves in the fashion industry?and showcase what you can do and how creative you can be when it comes to AI and?fashion.”
While mostly female, Foiret said the most surprising stat about the tech-savvy entrants — all of whom are well-versed in cutting-edge AI software — is the wide age range from “18 to 65 years old.”
Fran, a 57-year-old civil rights lawyer in New York, is participating after teaching herself how to use AI art generators when they became available last summer in her free time. Now, she’s adept with Midjourney, Stable Diffusion and Night Cafe and has?amassed nearly 9,000 followers on Instagram?where she’s been sharing her creations for the past eight months.
While she never plans to leave her job as an attorney, AI has become a fun, “easy” hobby for Fran, who asked to go by a pseudonym and have her name withheld for professional reasons.
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WHAT IS AUTO-GPT AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Silicon Valley’s quest to automate everything is unceasing, which explains its latest obsession:?Auto-GPT.
In essence, Auto-GPT uses the versatility of OpenAI’s latest AI models to interact with software and services online, allowing it to “autonomously” perform tasks like X and Y. But as we are learning with large language models, this capability seems to be as wide as an ocean but as deep as a puddle.
Auto-GPT — which you might’ve seen blowing up on social media recently — is an open source app created by game developer Toran Bruce Richards?that uses OpenAI’s text-generating models, mainly GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, to act “autonomously.”
There’s no magic in that autonomy. Auto-GPT simply handles follow-ups to an initial prompt of OpenAI’s models, both asking and answering them until a task is complete.
Auto-GPT, basically, is GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 paired with a companion bot that instructs GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 what to do. A user tells Auto-GPT what their goal is and the bot, in turn, uses GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 and several programs to carry out every step needed to achieve whatever goal they’ve set.
What makes Auto-GPT reasonably capable is its ability to interact with apps, software and services both online and local, like web browsers and word processors. For example, given a prompt like “help me grow my flower business,” Auto-GPT can?develop a somewhat plausible advertising strategy and build a basic website.
As Joe Koen, a software developer who’s experimented with Auto-GPT, explained to TechCrunch via email, Auto-GPT essentially automates multi-step projects that would’ve required back-and-forth prompting with a chatbot-oriented AI model like, say, OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
“Auto-GPT defines an agent that communicates with OpenAI’s API,” Koen said. “This agent’s objective is to carry out a variety of commands that the AI generates in response to the agent’s requests.?The user is prompted for input to specify the AI’s role and objectives prior to the agent starting to carry out commands.”
Auto-GPT is publicly available on GitHub, but it does require some setup and know-how to get up and running. To use it, Auto-GPT has to be installed in a development environment like Docker, and it must be registered with an API key from OpenAI — which requires a paid OpenAI account.
In recent weeks, new apps have emerged to make Auto-GPT even easier to use, like?AgentGPT?and GodMode, which provide a simple interface where users can input what they want to accomplish directly on a browser page. Note that, like Agent-GPT, both require an API key from OpenAI to unlock their full capabilities.
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1 年Gucci: A Timeless Icon in the World of Luxury Fashion Gucci, the iconic Italian fashion and leather goods brand, has a rich history and an unparalleled reputation for luxury and quality. From its inception in 1921 by Guccio Gucci to its current position as a global fashion powerhouse, it has undergone transformations, challenges, and resurgences that have shaped its journey. In this article, we'll delve into the brand's history, its strategies in the digital age, its marketing prowess, and its promising future plans. To read more... https://vichaardhara.co.in/index.php/2023/09/19/gucci-a-timeless-icon-in-the-world-of-luxury-fashion/
Sales Associate at American Airlines
1 年Thanks for sharing