It started with a selfie. A woman in a red top looked into the camera as Meta’s new AI feature was put to the test. In the demo, the system analysed her skin tone and hair, then suggested that red worked well for her and highlighted a range of other shades that could complement her look.
Meta AI Insta, on its official Instagram handle this week, shared the playful caption: “Step one: upload a selfie. Step two: never wear the wrong colour palette again.”
The feature is part of Meta’s growing effort to bring artificial intelligence into everyday life. What was once marketed as a background tool for emails and productivity is now being pitched as a personal stylist.
From support role to setting the trend
Until recently, most people thought of AI as something that worked quietly in the background. Today, it is turning up in far more personal spaces: make-up try-ons, shopping assistants, fitness advice and now, colour analysis.
For many users, the appeal is obvious. Choosing outfits can be confusing, and a quick analysis promises to make that decision easier. The idea of a tool that tells you which shades to avoid, or which ones will make you stand out, is tempting.
For brands, the potential is even bigger. If AI can identify someone’s preferred palette, it can also recommend products in those colours- from clothes and cosmetics to accessories. What begins as style advice can quickly become personalised advertising.
The questions we can’t ignore
Not everyone is convinced this is a replacement for human judgement. Stylists argue that fashion is not only about complexion. Mood, personality, culture and confidence all play a role in how someone looks and feels. Algorithms can analyse tones and contrasts, but they cannot capture what makes a person feel powerful in an outfit.
Inclusivity is another challenge. Earlier beauty and style tools powered by AI have been criticised for failing to represent darker skin tones accurately or for reinforcing narrow standards of beauty. A tool that claims to guide personal style will need to do much better to be useful across a truly diverse audience.
Still, Meta’s experiment is a telling sign of where technology is heading. A selfie, once just a casual snapshot, is now data to be interpreted. A red top, once just a wardrobe choice, becomes input for an algorithm. It may seem playful today, but it raises bigger questions about how much we are willing to let machines influence the way we see ourselves.
AI has moved beyond emails and productivity. It is now shaping how we see ourselves.