AI has the creative world on edge right now - here’s why salons and clinics need to pay attention too.

I’ll be honest, as a photographer, when AI first started creeping into my world, I panicked a little. Not the “end of days” kind of panic, but more of a sick feeling in my stomach when I see an image created in seconds that would have taken me hours of planning, setup, shooting, and editing.

Then came the Super Bowl ads, cinematic, 4K, real-life looking commercials that used to cost millions suddenly being made with AI for a fraction of the price?! If it can happen to them, what about me?

And I know I’m not alone. Many industries are wrestling with this right now. We’re worried. All of us have been at some point, I'm sure. 

But here’s where I’ve landed: I trust my creativity and humanity. You should trust yours. Our touch, our ability to connect, read nuance, and bring personality into our work, that’s the bit AI can’t take from us. 

At the same time, I’ve realised something else. The danger isn’t AI taking the job itself, it’s businesses refusing to adapt while their competitors lean into the tech.

Why hair and beauty needs to pay attention right now

I am niched specifically to the hair and beauty world, so I see the same conversation playing out at your conferences and expos. The reassurance is always the same: “Don’t worry, human touch and creativity can’t be replaced.”

And yes, that’s true. No robot will ever replace the intimacy of a head massage at the basin, the confidence of a therapist’s advice, the dance of their hands during a facial, or the way banter in the chair makes you feel like family.

But running your salon the old way, analogue systems, wasted colour, missed calls, clunky booking processes, that’s where the risk is. Not adopting AI into the BUSINESS side of your salon or clinic is what will leave people behind.

What’s already happening?

It's no longer just hype, it's reality, and close to being normality: AI is already weaving its way into salons and beauty businesses across the globe.

AI receptionists will make salons money while they sleep

Here’s the near future: salon owners won’t be tied to their phones, scrambling to return missed calls between clients. AI bots and virtual receptionists will handle it all. They’ll answer questions instantly, book appointments on the spot, and upsell treatments or products when a client suddenly remembers they need a cut before the weekend. We already see it with automated booking systems but this will feel like talking to a real person on the phone, even at 3 o'clock in the frigging morning.

Instead of losing leads after hours, salons will be “open” 24/7 without anyone physically working. Missed calls will become a thing of the past. For solo operators, that could mean dozens of new bookings each month without lifting a finger. For multi-location salons, it could mean the equivalent revenue of adding another stylist to the floor, without the cost of hiring one.

This isn’t a maybe. It’s already starting, and within a year or two it will be the norm. The salons who adopt AI reception early will scoop up the clients that competitors lose to voicemail.

AI will slash colour/product waste and boost profit

The colour bowl is one of the most expensive places a salon loses money, and AI is set to change that for good. Systems like Vish are already showing what’s possible with enormous savings, and thousands of litres saved from landfills and waterways, meaning money flows back into salons instead of being washed down the drain.

The future? Precision colour mixing will become the standard. Every gram will be tracked, every formula recorded, and the guesswork removed entirely. Salons that adopt these systems will not only protect the planet but also free up cash to reinvest in staff training, marketing, or new equipment. Those who don’t will continue to pour away money, product, and opportunity. Within a few years, waste-heavy salons won’t just look unsustainable, they'll look old-fashioned.

Radical change services will surge with very realistic AI try-ons

Soon it won’t be unusual for clients to preview hair colour or makeup digitally before they even step into your space. I tested this myself not long ago: I added a Pinterest copper hair inspo photo, and a selfie of me, into chat GPT and asked it to put the inspo hair on to me so I could try on a copper shade. I literally DM’d the result to my hairdresser the night before my appointment. 

The future here is clear: salons and clinics using AI-powered consultations could cut down costly re-dos, close bigger bookings, and make clients feel certain they’re getting exactly what they want.

AI opens the door for growth

The real power of AI isn’t just in cost saving and automations it creates, it’s in mental load it takes off a business owner.  When routine jobs like bookings, reminders, or even colour measurements are handled for you, you finally get the brain space to step out of maintenance mode. Instead of spending every ounce of energy just keeping the wheels in motion, you can start asking yourself bigger questions: How do I expand? What services could I add? Who could I collaborate with? AI doesn’t just give you back hours, it gives you back the mental bandwidth to reinvent and grow.

The reality check

The divide isn’t going to be “AI versus humans.” It’s going to be AI-powered salons and clinics versus the ones still stuck doing everything the old way.

And it’s important to note, the pace is fast. Faster than most of us want to admit. Five years ago, even I would have laughed at the idea of a chat bot being able to spit out information, articles, real life images, research and data in minutes, even seconds?! Now? It’s just a regular thing.

So here’s my encouragement: learn from my industry’s mistake. Photographers who ignored digital lost their seat at the table. Those who are ignoring AI-powered business strategies and automations are already falling behind. Don’t let the same thing happen in hair and beauty.

If you don’t have the energy to stay across all the tech, fine, but at least partner with brands and suppliers who are. Because in the next twelve months, not having AI stitched into the way you run your business isn’t just inconvenient, it’s going to make it harder and harder to keep up.