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U of I Researchers Developing AI Virtual Try-On Tech to Ease Online Shopping
New AI-powered technology aims to reduce clothing returns by providing realistic digital previews of how items will look on shoppers.
Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:50pm
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Cutting-edge AI technology aims to take the guesswork out of online clothing purchases by providing shoppers with a true-to-life virtual preview of how items will look and fit.Champaign TodayResearchers at the University of Illinois' Grainger College of Engineering are working on advanced generative AI technology to create virtual try-on experiences for online shoppers. The goal is to reduce the high rate of clothing returns by allowing customers to get a realistic preview of how items will actually look and fit on their bodies before making a purchase.
Why it matters
With over a third of shoppers now buying clothes online weekly, the inability to physically try on items before purchase has become a major pain point. The new virtual try-on tech could significantly improve the online shopping experience and cut down on the environmental waste and costs associated with high return rates for e-commerce apparel.
The details
Led by assistant professor Yuxiong Wang, the U of I research team is developing AI algorithms that can generate realistic digital models of clothing items on a shopper's body, rather than just overlaying flat images. Wang says the technology goes beyond simple copy-and-paste visuals, aiming to create a true-to-life preview of how the garment will drape, fit, and appear in reality.
- The research team at the U of I's Grainger College of Engineering has been working on this virtual try-on technology for the past year.
- The AI-powered virtual try-on features are not yet available on any retail websites, but the researchers are taking steps to make the technology more accessible to the general public.
The players
Yuxiong Wang
An assistant professor of computer science at the University of Illinois' Grainger College of Engineering, and the lead researcher on the virtual try-on AI project.
Grainger College of Engineering
The engineering school at the University of Illinois, where the virtual try-on technology is being developed by a team of researchers.
What they’re saying
“It really started seeing a problem everyone faced. People shopping online, seeing an outfit, but having no idea how it will actually fit on their body. Online shopping can feel more like a guessing game.”
— Yuxiong Wang, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
“We are not just copying and pasting onto the person. We are creating a real-life preview of how that outfit actually looks.”
— Yuxiong Wang, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
What’s next
The research team at the University of Illinois is currently working to make the virtual try-on technology more accessible to online retailers and shoppers, with the goal of reducing clothing return rates and improving the overall e-commerce experience.
The takeaway
This new AI-powered virtual try-on technology developed at the University of Illinois has the potential to revolutionize online shopping by providing customers with a realistic preview of how clothing will look and fit, potentially reducing the high rate of returns that plague the e-commerce apparel industry.
