L’Oréal will leverage IBM’s generative AI (GenAI) technology to create innovative and sustainable cosmetic products.
The partnership will involve developing a bespoke AI foundation model to supercharge L’Oréal’s Research & Innovation (R&I) teams in creating eco-friendly formulations using renewable raw materials. In turn, this initiative is designed to reduce both energy and material waste.
Described as the cosmetics industry’s first formulation-focused AI model, this effort is a glimpse into a future where cutting-edge technology drives environmentally-conscious solutions.
Stéphane Ortiz, Head of Innovation Métiers & Product Development at L’Oréal R&I, said: “As part of our Digital Transformation Program, this partnership will extend the speed and scale of our innovation and reformulation pipeline, with products always reaching higher standards of inclusivity, sustainability, and personalisation.”
AI and beauty: A perfect match
By marrying L’Oréal’s expertise in cosmetic science with IBM’s AI technologies, the companies aim to unlock new pathways in both cosmetic innovation and sustainability. The role of AI in tailoring and personalising products is well-established, but diving deeper into its role in crafting renewable and sustainably-sourced formulations underscores a broader ecological mission.
Matthieu Cassier, Chief Transformation & Digital Officer at L’Oréal R&I, commented: “Building on years of unique beauty science expertise and data structuring, this major alliance with IBM is opening a new exciting era for our innovation and development process.”
Foundation models serve as the technological backbone for this collaboration. These AI systems are trained on vast datasets, enabling them to perform various tasks and transfer learnings across different applications.
Although these models are perhaps most known for revolutionising natural language processing (NLP), IBM has advanced their use cases beyond text, including applications in chemistry, geospatial data, and time series analysis.
In this context, the custom AI model being developed for L’Oréal will process a massive database of cosmetic formulas and raw material components. From creating new products to reformulating existing ones and scaling up for production, the model will accelerate critical tasks for the company’s R&D teams.
“This collaboration is a truly impactful application of generative AI, leveraging the power of technology and expertise for the good of the planet,” said Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow and VP for Europe and Africa, as well as Director at IBM Research Zurich.
“At IBM, we believe in the power of purpose-built, customised AI to help transform businesses. Using IBM’s latest AI technology, L’Oréal will be able to derive meaningful insights from their rich formula and product data to create a tailored AI model to help achieve their operational goals and continue creating high-quality and sustainable products.”
One of the more fascinating dimensions of this collaboration is its potential to deepen understanding of renewable ingredient behaviour within cosmetic formulations.
Guilhaume Leroy-Méline, IBM Distinguished Engineer and CTO of IBM Consulting France, said: “This alliance between highly specialised expertise in artificial intelligence and cosmetics seeks to revolutionise cosmetic formulation. It embodies the spirit of AI-augmented research, emphasising sustainability and diversity.”
For IBM, this partnership reflects its broader strategy to extend AI applications into industries requiring bespoke solutions. As Curioni pointed out, custom AI has the potential to reshape businesses on multiple levels.
By co-developing this bespoke formulation model, IBM and L’Oréal are setting the stage for a beauty industry that prizes both sustainability and cutting-edge innovation. If successful, the partnership could very well serve as a blueprint for other industries looking to bring AI’s transformative potential to bear on sustainability efforts.
(Photo by Kelly Sikkema)
See also: Cisco: Securing enterprises in the AI era
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