AI Summit New York: Estee Lauder’s Advanced Imaging Models are Making Beauty Personal

The fragrance industry is exploring artificial intelligence that allows the creator to model the brain’s olfactory receptors, in effect mimicking triggers in the human sense of smell.

That was one of the take-aways from a Thursday session of the AI Summit delivered by Sowmya Gottipati, vice president and global brand technology leader at Estee Lauder.

In the not-so-distant future, neuromorphic chips could even embed olfactory senses directly into digital devices themselves, Gottipati said, opening up whole new opportunities for fragrance companies.

Elsewhere in the beauty sector, consumers no longer need a dermatologist thanks to augmented reality tools that pinpoint skin conditions using the customer’s smartphone camera.

Estee Lauder’s advanced imaging models ingested more than 100 million data points relating to different skin types and ailments, and can also be used for matching the right shade for make-up products.

It’s all part of a trend toward personalized skincare, beauty and fragrance products which Gottipati says will be central to industry rapport with consumers in coming years.

From a product development point of view, AI is allowing vendors to understand what customers want and respond with appropriate recommendations, loyalty deals and shopping experiences.

Estee Lauder, for example, has a foundation brand that allows customers to book a consultation and mix up a foundation personalized just for them using a selection of ingredients.

“There’s a lot of AI we’re employing in the background to provide that 24-hour real-time connection with consumers,“ Gottipati said.