L’Oréal and IBM are joining forces to develop what they claim is the first AI foundation model dedicated to cosmetic formulation, to try and make beauty products both smarter and greener.
The collaboration will leverage IBM’s generative AI technology to analyse vast datasets of cosmetic formulations, helping L’Oréal’s researchers identify sustainable raw materials while cutting energy and material waste.
The AI-driven model can assist in formulating new products, reformulating existing ones, and optimising large-scale production, all in pursuit of the company’s 2030 sustainability goals.
Alessandro Curioni, IBM Fellow, vice president Europe and Africa and director IBM Research Zurich, said: “This collaboration is a truly impactful application of generative AI, leveraging the power of technology and expertise for the good of the planet. 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.”
L’Oréal’s Research & Innovation teams, backed by IBM Consulting, will use the AI model to gain deeper insights into the behaviour of renewable ingredients, paving the way for more sustainable and personalised beauty solutions. The beauty giant plans to integrate bio-based and circular economy materials into most of its product formulas by the end of the decade.
IBM, known for pioneering AI applications beyond language processing, sees this as an opportunity to push AI into new territory—merging beauty, chemistry, and technology.