Photo and words by Kim Tran
Muhammad Abu Naser is an Associate Professor at the Guildhall School of Business and Law at London Metropolitan University, with a background in economics, strategic management, accounting and AI. He has extensive knowledge on the impacts of AI and what AI can advance that already exists.
Before transitioning to academia, Dr. Naser held managerial roles in well-known organisations such as Ford, Tesco and Corona IT, just to name a few.
Dr Naser has made notable achievements during his career as a business consultant, in which he helped a struggling company turnaround and guided them to profitability through his strategic initiatives. He transformed a company that was facing economic hardship to a profitable enterprise that made national and international sales.
Commitment to academia
Dr. Naser began his career at London Metropolitan University in 2003, where he initially joined as a business consultant and then in 2005 became a lecturer. He progressed into academia as he wanted to “contribute to society positively”. One of the main ways to do this, he said, was through teaching people.
“In the business world, everyone is just fighting most of the time for money so I wanted to come and educate people on how they’re going to survive in the next decade.”
Dr. Naser talks about his intentions behind education students and fellow lecturers about business. Video by Kim Tran
Dr. Naser attended as a panelist at London Metropolitan University’s conference on ‘Hope or Hype? How AI is transforming the fashion industry’, and contributed to the discussions of the consequences of AI – and also how advances in AI technology currently perform in business.
He believes that AI should be regulated in certain sectors. For example, in banking “AI shouln’t get access to certain data and those restrictions have been put in place”, he said. However, “the government doesn’t really know what they should do as AI evolves”.
There are pros to AI as it is “the master of tracking data, master of looking at supply chain issues and master of waste management”.
Discussion on AI enhancing the workflow in the fashion industry. Video by Kim Tran
The impact of AI on fashion design is a nuanced one to Dr. Naser, as there are both positive aspects and challenges. He said: “AI can generate design concepts, help designers explore new creative possibilities, and provide data-driven insights into consumer preferences. However, there’s a risk of AI-generated designs becoming too homogenous or losing the unique human touch that makes fashion creative and emotionally resonant.”
AI for the better
There is a risk of over-relying on AI, but Dr. Naser believes it can help businesses achieve more by using it within the supply chain and making decisions more efficient.
He said: “AI can optimize stock levels by analyzing real-time sales data, seasonal trends, and consumer behaviour. It can also help brands reduce overproduction and minimize waste.”
Technologies and machines can work quicker than humans, this is where AI can process data effectively and reach conclusions rapidly. Dr. Naser also highlighted the efficiency of AI in predictive analytics, “AI can quickly process multiple variables to make complex decisions, especially in areas like trend prediction and consumer behaviour analysis.”
Dr. Naser describing the difference AI makes in the industry. Video by Kim Tran
While in the fashion sector businesses might worry about losing authenticity, in reality AI can improve brand storytelling, Dr. Naser said. “AI can help brands create more personalized experiences and it can provide insights that help designers stay true to their core aesthetic while adapting to consumer needs.”
Dr. Naser added that AI should be used as a “complementary tool and [we should] not be reliant on using it for everything, it’s not a complete replacement for human creativity.”
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