Headlines from a historic year

No year in history has been like any other; 2024 wasn’t any different either. Amidst the frenzy of multimodality, Gen AI, RAGs and Agents that dominated the AI timeline, we review this milieu at Vue as we gear up for the miles ahead.

Vue 2.0

Content-, Audience- and Digital Experience Management, paired with Connectors, describe the quintessential foundations of Vue 2.0, our AI platform for the retail industry, with fine-tuned search and personalization features launched earlier this year.

Connectors

• Read and write data across 200+ locations, along pre-meditated pathways within the enterprises’ infra highway
• Configure both the source and destination of the data, centralizing data management

Content Manager

• Create and organize catalogs sourced from various data origins
• Use Computer Vision to enrich product details by extracting data from images, videos, and text
• Neatly arrange and label products
• Visualize how everything fits together and create custom categories

Audience Manager

• Organize visitor data into segments and user profiles
• Test multiple audiences for different user experiences
• Power downstream applications via import / export of Audience lists
• Monitor performance metrics for each segment; check overlaps between audience presets and segments

Digital Experience Manager

• Map end users’ preferences and behaviors based on interceptions in the Audience Manager
• Experiment with A/B testing to refine strategies 

eCommerce product imagery was drudgery.

Hiring models, arranging professional lighting, spending hours in photo studios and repeating this every season… all those costly photoshoots have since been canceled. Now, stunning, realistic on-model imagery using AI, without the overhead of traditional photoshoots differentiate brands and connect with consumers in ways that were once out of reach. 

VueModel, the on-model imagery module that’s part of the Vue.ai platform, allows businesses to generate product imagery and exhaustive metadata at a fraction of the time and cost. Businesses can now individually upload images of the human models and products and let AI do the rest—placing those products on models, changing backgrounds, and even adjusting poses, making it easier to create a detailed, consistent visual experience across the entire catalog. The result? High-quality, customizable visuals that don’t break the bank. 

Whether it’s the launch of a new line of clothing or the introduction of altogether new products, the ability to showcase items in multiple contexts without a photoshoot allows businesses to present their products in a variety of scenarios, from close-ups highlighting fabric details to showcasing how a garment moves in action.

All on the same page, Creative Directors to Marketing teams

Streamlined review and feedback processes are now a feature of the Vue.ai platform. Users leave comments, request revisions, and approve images in bulk—cutting down on the endless back-and-forth that typically accompanies product imagery development. Once approved, the platform enables the hassle-free export of the images ready to be deployed across websites, social media, and marketing channels. As creative teams work to develop vast catalogs of imagery, efficiency with quality control is now taken care of. 

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Read other editions of Retail Vue

Oh, shoot! Fashion’s so much faster with AI (Aug ‘24)

Segment your audience—or your profits (Sep ‘24)

On-model imagery that’s on the money (Oct ‘24)

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Excerpts from a recent Masterclass exposition 

Convergence of AI and fashion: The lines between AI and fashion are blurring, with both fields advancing rapidly together. Notably, 62% of Generative AI users in marketing are creating image assets; 71% of them expect to eliminate “busy work” and focus on “strategic work”, through Gen AI. 

The human element in fashion: Fashion is a powerful medium for human expression, reflecting who we are and what we believe. Authentic representation remains crucial, as demonstrated by the 22 - 54% returns attributed to “not as portrayed” by images and the 15% baseline increase in sales when using enhanced imagery.

The digital transformation strategy: Successful digital transformation involves understanding technology, identifying opportunities, engaging experts, and developing a supportive plan. While change can be challenging, it's essential for progress. 

“Teams often find ways to overcome obstacles. When exploring new technology, focus on what you can achieve within that space instead of dismissing it outright. Be aware that too many variables can skew test results, leading to misleading conclusions. The first step is to identify where the technology can be effectively applied. Use this time as an opportunity for growth by involving more teams, such as studio and marketing, in a paid proof of concept. This approach not only tests the technology but also enhances data quality. “ - Brian Harris, Director, R&D, New Initiatives & Digital Transformation

Creative focus and production efficiency: AI enables creative professionals to focus on editorial and innovative work by handling routine production tasks. It helps overcome barriers such as time, cost, logistics, and studio space limitations, allowing photographers to concentrate on the pursuit of creativity.

Navigating the Model Model issue: All AI algorithms use data, including images. At times, the programs use images to create new images: The new images then contain a piece of the data that helped create them, including the features and likenesses of the people involved, whether or not they consented to this usage.

Vue.ai adheres to ethical and equitable practices by compensating human models for their participation in the creation of input images, via a licensing agreement akin to traditional photography. This can involve either a small per-image fee or a larger yearly buyout for the images created using AI.

Misconceptions and realities of AI: AI is not a silver bullet and requires thoughtful application. It is important to identify meaningful impact and work towards solving specific problems rather than generalizing AI capabilities. Moreover, using AI does not mean giving away valuable brand data, as proper safeguards can ensure exclusivity.

Efficiency and innovation: Adopting new technologies like AI can initially be slow but lead to significant efficiency gains. For example, by optimizing iteratively for processes, equipment and the photo shoot team’s availability, a particular brand was able to reduce their photo shoot time from 6.5 hours to 40 minutes. 

Ethical considerations in AI and human model use: Ethical systems fairly compensate human models for their participation and safeguard data exclusivity. Creatives maintain full control over how AI-generated images are created and used, ensuring ethical standards are upheld while reducing costs.

As all-in-one AI orchestration platforms streamline the entire product lifecycle—from tagging and personalization to generating on-model imagery—the bigger question is: How will this technology shape consumer expectations moving forward? By centering consumers in the creative process, by empowering brands to customize visuals for individual preferences and identities, AI moves beyond automation to becoming a tool for emotional engagement, making fashion not just a product, but a deeply personal experience for each customer.

Workflow Automation and Document Processing 

Now available on Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and on Google Cloud Marketplace

Unlike RPA or other Document AI systems in the market today, the Vue.ai platform provides operations, business and technology teams options to integrate complex multi-layered, multi-team workflows and simplify them with AI agents for loan automation, claims processing, KYC automation and more. Complex tasks like verification, matching, reconciliation, fraud detection, credit scoring can all be orchestrated into intelligent workflows allowing enterprise-wide automation and adoption of AI in one go. 

Coming soon! • Vue's AI agents powered by Copilot • Data platform integrations with Fabric • Native app and VueMRKT integrations with Azure's AI services to power applications like Doc AI, Personalization, Workflow and Process automation, Forecasting and more.

On the trot, at full throttle

Vue.ai was honored to be a part of The Montgomery Summit, Santa Monica (Mar), Seamless, Dubai (May), DigiAsia, Taipei (Sep) and WORLDEF, Dubai (Dec), among other events.

Committed to the community

Gathering AI leaders in diverse industries from around the globe for deep conversations, panel discussions, fireside chats and notes-exchanges is our idea of an un-conference, of REBUILD – Vue.ai’s annual retreat to take the pulse of the industry. 

Reports two good

If eCommerce Priority Pulse was our clinical analysis of AI in the retail sector, Enterprise AI Transformation reported on broader trends that transcend industries. 

2024 set the bar high, but the potential for 2025 to surpass it is truly thrilling. Here's wishing you a happy holiday season and a productive New Year.

About: Vue.ai is an AI orchestration platform that actively caters to enterprises in retail, BFSI, logistics, healthcare and other domains. Deploying a mixture of expertise in various AI techniques and on platforms like AWS, Azure and GCP, Vue.ai charts productive digital transformation journeys for clients across continents.

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Also read The AI Vue

Smart AI still needs human eyes (Nov '24)

Agents are here → AI’s shaken and stirred (Sep '24)

Lifting the lid on LLMs (Aug '24)

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