Can an AI stylist help you dress better?

I tried AI-powered personal stylists for five days to up my fashion game. The result: too many choices, too little fun

- Pooja Singh

For five days, generative AI became my personal stylist. It told me what to wear and how to wear it. It chose my hairstyle and lip color. It even suggested to the manicurist that yellow was my color.

Generative AI—which can do everything from write code, conduct makeshift therapy sessions and create designs for fashion designers—could add close to $300 billion in the next five years to the operating profits of apparel, fashion and luxury sectors, says a 2023 report by consulting firm McKinsey. It can do so, the report adds, by helping streamline design and supply chain issues, but more importantly, it can allow shoppers to try on clothes via their devices, and add chatbots as shopping assistants to help people sift through their wardrobe and make better style decisions.

So, I decided to dive into the world of AI with three apps to see if algorithms could change the way I dress. One was ChatGPT, the popular US-born general-purpose tool, and the other two were newly launched homegrown platforms, Glance AI and Slayrobe. These three AI advisers, or stylists, saved me time and lessened the burden of making a decision each time I opened my wardrobe. But they seemed to have one agenda: turn me into a blind follower of trends.

Sample this conversation with ChatGPT.

Me: Hey ChatGPT, What should I wear to office today? I work in a newsroom and I want to wear something corporate-ish but a little casual and it should look all very effortless.

ChatGPT: That's a great idea. I'd suggest going for something like this: A simple, well-fitted blazer in a neutral color (like navy, black or grey), but leave it unbuttoned to keep it relaxed. Pair it with a plain shirt. Chinos in a neutral shade, or dark jeans if you want to keep it even more casual. Casual loafers or stylish sneakers. Keep accessories minimal.