Last week, I joined a Vogue Business webinar on AI in fashion, hosted by Amy OโBrien. The timing couldnโt have been better. A wave of recent AI announcements is set to reshape how people discover products, seek guidance and interact with brands - across fashion, beauty, wellness, fitness and even health.
Whatโs clear is this: the pace of change is accelerating. AI is no longer sitting quietly in the background. Itโs actively shaping how people make decisions - particularly in lifestyle categories where choice intersects with identity, values and aspiration.
Developments reshaping our futureย
- AI chat platforms are beginning to integrate advertising directly into conversations.
- E-commerce platforms such as Shopify are enabling consumers to search, discover and purchase products inside AI tools โ without ever visiting a brandโs website.
- Beyond commerce, tools like ChatGPT Health are starting to offer personalised medical guidance using user data.
Taken together, these shifts point to something bigger: advice, discovery and decision-making are being automated at scale.
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But just because the technology exists โ do people actually want this?
Generative AI is now part of daily life. For many, these developments will feel like a natural extension of existing behaviour, helping people arrive at faster, more personalised answers.ย
This is reinforced by the promise of merit-based discovery: surfacing products based on relevance rather than advertising spend.
And yet, thereโs growing tension.
According to the UK studyย Trust, Attitudes and Use of Artificial Intelligence: A Global Study 2025, around:
69% of people in the UK use AIย for work, study, or personal reasons
โ but onlyย 42% say they trust it more broadly.
Concerns around transparency, advertising influence, data privacy and accuracy are rising. Weโre already seeing people spend more time in ad-free spaces like Reddit during shopping journeys โ actively seeking human opinions when decisions truly matter.
So what does this mean for lifestyle experts?
As AI tools offer instant recommendations and end-to-end purchase journeys, itโs fair to ask where human expertise fits. Will people continue to seek guidance from real experts or default to quick, seemingly unbiased answers from machines?
There is real risk here.ย
Lifestyle is already a saturated space. Attention is shrinking. Audiences are overwhelmed by constant content - and many are choosing to unplug altogether. Breaking through, building trust and creating meaningful impact is becoming harder, not easier.
Why human expertise still matters
Despite the speed of technological change, we believe something essential is being overlooked.
People still want to engage with real humans. Real guidance isnโt built on prompts alone - it comes from conversation, context, nuance and lived experience. Itโs about listening, asking better questions and reading between the lines.
Meanwhile, a counter-culture is emerging โ people are wary of AI-generated recommendations and tired of being marketed and sold to. In this environment, trusted, honest expert guidance becomes even more valuable.
Thriving as an expert in an AI world
This isnโt about rejecting AI. But in high-consideration lifestyle decisions where trust and identity matter - human connection still plays a critical role.
Many experts are turning to platforms like Substack and Patreon to build community and earn more directly from their knowledge. Itโs a positive step โ but it only goes so far.
Lifestyle experts didnโt choose this path to chase followers or fight algorithms. They did it to be recognised for their expertise and to create real impact.
Thatโs the future weโre building toward at ZAVIOR: enabling experts to deliver personalised, trusted advice โ without the pressure of constant content โ and giving people access to guidance as naturally as messaging a friend.
If that resonates, weโd love you to see what weโre building.