Artificial intelligence is now actively reshaping the UK hairdressing industry, impacting everything from salon administration to creative output. Industry leaders Billy Ryan, Noel Halligan, and Errol Douglas recently debated AI's implications, highlighting its potential to streamline operations and personalise client experiences, while also raising concerns about authenticity and skill devaluation.
Billy Ryan believes AI offers significant opportunities for growth. He suggests AI can automate repetitive tasks like scheduling and data analysis, freeing stylists to focus on client connection and artistry. Ryan also foresees AI accelerating learning through personalised training and virtual reality practice, potentially allowing junior stylists adept at AI to surpass those resistant to it. He argues AI will elevate the craft by handling execution, making human creativity and empathy key differentiators.
Noel Halligan views AI as a positive business tool that enhances consistency and automates error-prone processes. He stresses AI supports human-led services rather than replacing hairdressers. Halligan’s salon, NOCO Hair, focuses on 1% growth in client attraction, in-salon experience, and rebooking, with AI aiding these areas. However, he cautions against laziness and the potential for AI-generated content to misrepresent a stylist’s actual work, emphasising that personal stories and vision remain crucial.
Errol Douglas expresses strong reservations, trusting his hands and experience over AI. He sees AI as useful for concept development and efficiency but believes it has no place in hair competitions, which should celebrate authentic craft on real hair. Douglas is concerned that AI’s increasing presence in awards risks undermining the skill, training, and integrity of the profession, potentially amounting to unfairness or cheating if not properly categorised.
The debate reveals a clear divergence: AI as an enhancer of efficiency and creativity versus AI as a potential threat to authenticity and traditional skills. For UK salon owners, understanding these different perspectives is key to deciding where and how to integrate AI, ensuring it supports rather than diminishes the core values of hairdressing artistry and client care.
