Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can create new content, such as images, text, audio, and video, by learning from existing data and examples. It can also modify and improve existing content, such as designs, patterns, and styles, by applying various filters and effects. Generative AI is powered by advanced algorithms, such as generative adversarial networks (GANs), which consist of two competing neural networks that learn from each other and generate realistic and high-quality outputs.
Generative AI is relevant for the sourcing industry, as it can offer various benefits and opportunities, such as:
- Enhancing the creativity and innovation of the designers and the suppliers, by providing them with new ideas and inspirations, and by allowing them to experiment with different combinations and variations
- Improving the efficiency and accuracy of the production and the delivery, by reducing the time and the cost of creating and testing prototypes, and by optimizing the quality and the performance of the products
- Increasing the customization and personalization of the products and the services, by enabling the customers and the consumers to create and modify their own preferences and specifications, and by tailoring the products and the services to their needs and expectations
What are some of the examples and applications of generative AI in sourcing?
Generative AI is already being used and applied by some of the leading players and pioneers in the sourcing industry, such as:
- Stitch Fix, an online personal styling service, which uses generative AI to create new and unique clothing designs, based on the customer feedback and the market trends
- Adidas, a global sportswear brand, which uses generative AI to produce customized and sustainable sneakers, made from recycled ocean plastic and 3D-printed materials
- Zalando, an online fashion platform, which uses generative AI to generate realistic and diverse models, wearing different outfits and poses, for its online catalog
- H&M, a global fashion retailer, which uses generative AI to optimize its inventory and distribution, by predicting the demand and the supply of its products, and by adjusting the prices and the promotions accordingly
What are the challenges and the risks of generative AI in sourcing?
While generative AI is promising and exciting, it also poses some challenges and risks for the sourcing industry, such as:
- Ensuring the ethical and legal compliance of the generative AI, by respecting the intellectual property and the privacy rights of the original creators and the users, and by avoiding the plagiarism and the infringement of the existing content
- Maintaining the human and emotional connection of the generative AI, by preserving the authenticity and the identity of the designers and the suppliers, and by ensuring the satisfaction and the loyalty of the customers and the consumers
- Managing the security and the reliability of the generative AI, by protecting the data and the systems from the cyberattacks and the malfunctions, and by verifying the quality and the accuracy of the outputs
What are the implications and the prospects of generative AI in sourcing?
Generative AI is transforming and disrupting the sourcing industry, by changing the way the products and the services are designed, produced, and delivered. It has significant implications and prospects for the stakeholders involved, such as:
- Empowering the designers and the suppliers, by giving them more tools and options to express their creativity and innovation, and by enhancing their productivity and profitability
- Engaging the customers and the consumers, by offering them more choices and possibilities to customize and personalize their products and services, and by improving their experience and satisfaction
- Advancing the sourcing industry, by creating new and unique products and services, that can meet the current and future needs and expectations of the market and the society
Generative AI is not a threat, but an opportunity, for the sourcing industry. It is not a replacement, but a complement, for the human talent and expertise. It is not a challenge, but a catalyst, for the sourcing industry’s growth and evolution.
