Recently, I tuned into an episode of The Daily Aus podcast that left me in absolute awe - and maybe just a tiny bit concerned about my future in fashion.
They were unpacking the current AI talent war, and it’s unlike anything I’ve heard before. According to reporting discussed on the podcast, tech giants like Meta have been offering enormous signing bonuses - some reports suggest figures reaching tens of millions of dollars - to entice employees away from companies like OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.
That’s not a number most of us can even fathom. But it underscores how much these companies believe AI isn’t just another tech trend, it’s the start of a seismic shift in how we work and live.
During the episode, they touched on the idea that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) (technology capable of performing the same complex tasks humans can) may not be so far away. Even more mind-bending is the possibility of Artificial Superintelligence: AI that could surpass our intelligence entirely. Mark Zuckerberg has called it one of the most significant innovations in human history.
The podcast shared the prediction that in as little as 5–10 years, AI could move beyond supporting human researchers and begin independently driving scientific breakthroughs. Imagine software that can process massive datasets, detect patterns no person could see, and propose completely new theories, whether that’s about next-generation batteries, revolutionary antibiotics, or materials we haven’t discovered yet.
A little while back, I saw this post on Instagram that joked, “Screw AI—let’s figure out strapless bras first.” It made me laugh because, honestly, fair point.
But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered: what if AI could help us tackle problems like that too? What if advanced algorithms could design materials that offer structure without bulk, or develop textiles that are genuinely circular and affordable, or make sampling almost obsolete by predicting fit perfectly the first time?
Sure, it sounds far-fetched. But a few years ago, so did the idea of an AI writing entire articles, coding software, or composing music.
And here’s the part I can’t quite decide if I find exciting or terrifying: if AI becomes capable of all that, my job - helping brands get their fit right and make products responsibly - could be on borrowed time.
I like to think there’s still something uniquely human about understanding how a garment moves with a body and makes someone feel. But maybe I’m just comforting myself.
If the biggest tech companies are throwing around jaw-dropping signing bonuses to recruit AI experts, they clearly see this as the next frontier. Whether that leads to solving the mysteries of the universe or finally inventing a strapless bra that stays up all day… time will tell.
Until then, I’ll keep doing this work the old-fashioned way, before the robots decide they can do it faster. (Half-joking. Mostly.)
The Daily Aus Podcast: 'The $100 million AI job offers'. Listen on Spotify.
