European fashion marketplace Zalando is set to launch a fashion assistant powered by ChatGPT on its website and app, according to a news release by the company.
The new technology aims to unlock the potential of generative AI to improve the experience of searching and shopping for fashion online.
Zalando fashion assistant
The beta version is expected to be available for selected customers in Germany, Ireland, Austria and the U.K. very shortly with support in German and English. The new fashion assistant aims to intuitively improve the navigation process for users, allowing them to search using their own words or fashion terms.
Customers will be able to ask the fashion assistant certain questions and receive a written explanation. Zalando cites a question example; “What should I wear for a wedding in Santorini in July?” and the AI the assistant uses will mean it understands that it is a formal event and what the weather is likely to be in the location in July.
The fashion assistant responds with a written answer, which includes recommendations for clothing. In the future the platform wants to combine this capability with customer preferences, to include brands and products available in their sizes, to deliver a more personalized selection of products. This could include fashion and beauty advice or outfit creation.
“We are eager to explore the potential that ChatGPT can bring to the shopping journey,” said Tian Su, VP personalization and recommendation at Zalando.
“As we continue testing and introducing new solutions, our focus remains on learning how our customers want to interact with our fashion assistant to provide them with the best possible experience.”
Zalando was founded in Berlin in 2008 and claims to have over 51 million active customers in 25 markets, providing clothing, footwear and accessories.
The company increased its rates for merchants in February and last month it announced it would delist certain brands.