Artificial intelligence has quietly woven itself into the salon world. It books appointments, predicts inventory needs, writes captions, and promises effortless growth, all before your morning coffee. Some of it genuinely works. Some of it is just very confident noise. The challenge for today’s salon owner is not whether to use AI, but how to use it without losing what makes their business human, distinctive, and trusted. This article breaks down where AI truly adds value inside the salon, where it can dilute your brand, and why the smartest approach blends modern tools with professional guidance rather than trying to automate everything.