Beauty in an AI and Digital Era

The fact is, we are currently living in an uncharted, wild-wild-west AI era. Laws and rules can’t keep up with the speed and accuracy of today, and tomorrow’s, technology. As soon as one law is passed about how AI has to be presented or a disclaimer has to be added, AI advances and leaves that now archaic law in its dust.

Clients now show amazing chatgbt and AI pictures instead of realistic examples for their inspiration photos. In the beauty industry, clients expect instant results and are unaware of the timing, science and reality of each look. All facets of beauty apply here; n

Left: my work, not AI. Right: color inspo

ails, skin care, Botox, wedding hair, cuts, color, makeup, styling, literally everything. We, as beauty professionals, are left to explain the difference between AI and reality. Otherwise known as the difference between fantasy and fiction.

“Yes, we can be inspired by this photo. No, we won’t be able to take your chin length bob and create an enormously huge chignon on the top of your noggin without a ton of wefts and extra investment costs.”

“Yes, this is a pretty picture. No it’s not a real human with real skin and pores and freckles and flaws.”

“Yes, her hair is beautiful. No, it’s not real, or extensions ,or a wig. It’s literally a computer generated visual representation of what AI believes a real woman looks like.”

“I see what you’re loving in this inspo pic but it’s not realistic. Instead, this is what we CAN achieve realistically and while keeping the integrity of your hair intact….”

We, as the beauty pros, have to decipher what we can and can’t achieve. It was hard enough in the early 2000’s when clients brought tear-outs from magazines of their favorite celebrities. Some siting that, “…if Kim-K can go platinum blonde, why can’t I?”

Answer? “Well, if you’re willing to pay what Kim paid and commit to hunkering down at my salon for 3 days for bleaching, conditioning and protein treatments on repeat and cutting over a foot of your length off, you too can have her platinum bob.”

Although AI has presented many hurtles, we know that we have to continue to educate our clientele and hold their hand through each process. I.e. What is safe for their hair, what we can achieve in a single visit, what is right for their face shape, complexion, and hair texture. It’s part of what keeps us professional.

We have always had to overcome and educate our clientele on each trend wave. This is just the current wave.

Good luck out there and happy pinning!!

XO