Platforms have disrupted industries and made companies like Uber and Airbnb household names. As the concept becomes more entrenched, traditional companies and everyday businesses are looking to capitalize on a platform strategy to innovate new products and services and stay abreast of tough competition. A digital platform is an environment that connects different groups, allowing participants to benefit from the presence of others. Accenture called digital platforms the "most profound and global macroeconomic change since the industrial revolution." Half of companies surveyed by Accenture defined platforms as central to their business strategy, with 40% citing platforms as a critical enabler.

Artificial intelligence, often called AI or deep learning, will undoubtedly transform the fashion industry. This transformation will have a few important qualities: 1) AI will be a platform play, not something brands build and launch individually; 2) the effects will mostly be invisible to the consumer; and 3) AI is as much a mindset as it is pure technology. It will not be a quick fix--it will take time. Before diving in, it's important to understand what AI is. This tweet from Christopher Mims is apt.