Swedish fashion fabric-sourcing platform Material Exchange has created an AI chatbot designed to make it easier for users to discover materials and ask questions to ensure they meet all the necessary specifications.
The chatbot is fronted by Frank, a stylish bear sporting a denim jacket, a pair of sunglasses and an endearing east London accent. Frank has access to all the materials in the company’s large selection and can make recommendations based on designers’ and buyers’ specific questions and fashion taste.
The company’s goal with Frank is to bring platform users closer to various materials by giving them easy access to information about all its fabrics including denim, recycled fibres, affordable options and novelties. This includes everything from country of origin, technical details and availability lead time. Once the user has narrowed down a selection of options, Frank can provide a full summary of the materials and send out samples.
Sourcing materials can be a difficult and tedious process for humans to carry out alone, with thousands of data points to sift through. With Frank, Material Exchange aims to transform sourcing, simplifying the process and providing a more human way to interact with its database – putting the focus back on the materials themselves rather than sifting through data. It’s a great example of how companies can use AI in a playful but effective way, speeding up and humanising formerly laborious tasks.
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