3 days ago
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
Leveraging AI Agents in Apparel and Textiles to enhance efficiency and Innovation
Dr Tanmay Kandekar, Associate Professor, Department of Fashion Technology, National Institute of fashion Technology, Ministry of Textiles, Mumbai Campus
Amarthya Shekhar K N, Academic Scholar, Department of Computer Science, Govt. Engineering College, Trichur, Kerala
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the apparel and textile industries is transforming the way businesses operate, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth. On one hand, AI-powered technologies are revolutionizing design, production, and customer experience, enabling companies to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. However, the increasing use of AI also raises concerns about job displacement, as automation and machine learning algorithms take over tasks traditionally performed by humans. As the industry navigates this double-edged sword, it is important to understand the impact of AI on job creation and displacement, and to explore strategies for upskilling and reskilling workers to thrive in an AI-driven future.
Artificial intelligence autonomously makes decisions and takes actions autonomously without human intervention. They perceive the environment through data, sensors, or other inputs. AI agents use algorithms and logical reasoning about the data and make decisions. Their actions include sending messages, controlling devices, and interacting with humans.
There are different types of AI agents that influences decision making. Simple Reflex Agents react to current state without considering future consequences. Model-Based Reflex Agents uses internal models to reason about the world. Goal-Based Agents make decisions based on goals and desired outcomes and Utility-Based Agents choose actions that maximize utility or value.
They apply in contexts and work as virtual assistants to enable as chatbots and voice assistants, and robotics ensure autonomous interaction with the environment. As recommendation systems, it gives suggestions for products or services. I powered agent works as a tool for informed decision-making as a decision support system. They are intelligent and can learn, reason, and adapt. They have autonomy to operate independently and interact with humans and other systems.
The applications of AI agents are transforming industries and revolutionizing the way we live and work. It has the power to create Job and displace it. World Economic Forum expects that it can create 97 million new jobs by the end of this year,2025. The jobs are created in AI development, implementation, and maintenance professionals, as well as positions focused on leveraging AI for innovation and growth. A survey from LinkedIn shows that a 30% annual growth rate for AI-related roles in fields like AI integration, organizational transformation, and AI implementation consulting. While the industry fears about a potential job displacement, many companies anticipate net job creation due to automation, with 50% of companies expecting automation to lead to new job opportunities.
However, this revolutionary technology requires careful handling and regular updates to avoid potential downsides. The jobs roles that are at risks are those involve repetitive, rule-based, or data-driven tasks are those more susceptible to automation. The jobs of customer service representatives, car and truck drivers, data entry clerks, administrative secretaries, and accounting professionals have the potential to be absorbed by AI agents. According to US job loss data, AI was directly responsible for 3,900 job losses, accounting for 5% of the total in May 2023. The report says that AI may replace 300 million jobs globally, with 9.1% of all jobs worldwide potentially being affected. Manufacturing, customer service, and administrative sectors are among those most vulnerable to AI-driven jobs that faces the job displacement.
Technology has a history that displaced many routine jobs and created new and promising avenues. To remain relevant, workers will need to develop AI-related skills, as 83% of businesses believe that AI skills determine job security, a way to upskill and reskill. The cut throat competition forces companies to reimage their workforces, combining human creativity with AI capabilities to drive innovation and growth and the industry adaptation is quick and faster in this sector. The AI Job market is continuously evolving, while AI poses challenges, it also presents opportunities for workers to transition into new roles and industries.
