Hello Betamax, "AI can see, but it cannot touch." That's how Sourcy AI founder Karl Chan summed up the jewelry industry's relationship with AI when I spoke with him. Across India and Southeast Asia, jewelry brands are adopting AI tools to speed up design and marketing as well as to offer more personalized services. Launching collections now takes three to four weeks, compared to months in the past. In today's featured story, I explore the glittery world of jewelry to find out how brands are using AI to help customers discover new styles. While some are generating marketing videos before the jewelry is even manufactured, others say AI has doubled or tripled the productivity of their design teams, putting smaller brands on a more level playing field with larger competitors. But despite the AI hype, many remain cautious. Founders of jewelry brands argue that while AI can improve workflows and reduce operational costs, it cannot tell what will resonate with buyers. The result is an industry trying to balance automation with human touch, where AI may shape the process but human creativity still defines the final product. Samreen Ahmad, journalist |
