The Cutting-Edge of AI in Fashion: Insights from World Group's Leaders at Commerce NEXT

The world of fashion is experiencing a significant transformation driven by digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI). As part of a recent session at the e-commerce event "Commerce NEXT," Chie Kamijo from OpenFashion and Yuho Tsukiji from World Group's Fashion Co. Lab shared their insights on how AI is revolutionizing the fashion industry.

The Rise of AI in Fashion

The global market for AI in fashion is growing at an unprecedented rate. Companies are increasingly recognizing the necessity of incorporating AI and digital technologies into their business strategies. However, many still struggle with implementing AI effectively across their organizations, often stalling at the Proof of Concept (PoC) stage without achieving tangible results or return on investment (ROI).

World Group is paving the way as it transitions to an "AI-native company." This transformation is not just about integrating AI tools but also involves rethinking organizational structures, work practices, skills development, and cultural shifts within the company. Chie Kamijo and Yuho Tsukiji focused on how World Group is successfully embedding AI into its operations and fostering a culture that embraces technology.

Key Highlights of the Session

During their talk, they discussed three main areas of focus that showcase how AI can dramatically enhance operations and customer experience:

1. Streamlining Operations and Reducing Costs

By leveraging the capabilities of "Maison AI," they have dramatically reduced the time spent on essential e-commerce tasks from 20 minutes to just approximately 3 minutes. This is a revolutionary change that showcases the practicality and efficiency of the AI implementation process.

2. Enhancing E-Commerce Experiences and Launching New Brands

The focus on AI has led to reduced return rates due to improved size recommendations and increased engagement from AI-driven traffic. A prime example is the new D2C brand “OO,” where AI plays a critical role in various processes—from product planning to generating images of models and setting prices, showcasing a completely modern workflow.

3. Building an AI-Enabled Organization

To make AI an integral part of daily operations, it's essential to upgrade four key elements: organizational structure, work practices, skills enhancement, and cultural transformation. They highlighted strategic management approaches such as executive-level AI training and tiered training programs that empower teams across the organization.

Speaker Profiles

Yuho Tsukiji is the Executive Director at World Group’s Corporate Strategy Office and President of Fashion Co. Lab. With extensive experience in energy, logistics, and sustainability, he has overseen significant growth in various companies, leading to his current role, where he emphasizes the implementation of cutting-edge technology in the fashion industry.

Chie Kamijo serves as the COO of OpenFashion and leads AI initiatives at World Group. With nearly 20 years of diverse experience in the fashion sector, she specializes in fashion tech and AI, driving the platform "Maison AI" to enhance business operations and creative processes.

Seminar Overview

The seminar titled "The Cutting-Edge of AI in Fashion: Building an Effective AI Organization" is scheduled for June 24, 2026, at 14:40–15:20 and will be available online. Interested participants can register through the official website of Commerce NEXT.

As fashion continues to evolve with AI integration, sessions like these shed light on the potential opportunities within the 9 trillion yen market. Industry leaders will share valuable insights and real-life examples of how to harness AI effectively, making it an event not to miss for anyone in the fashion and e-commerce sectors.

About Maison AI

Maison AI is a sophisticated generative AI platform tailored for the creative domains of fashion, interior design, and various consumer goods. With high-performance AI models, it aims to enhance creativity, efficiency, and productivity in daily tasks for designers and merchandisers, thereby revolutionizing the industry standard. For more details, visit Maison AI's official site.