(Yicai) July 28 -- L'Oréal Group made its first appearance at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai this year, highlighting how the century-old French beauty giant is accelerating its adoption of AI and transforming cutting-edge technology into enhanced beauty experiences.

L'Oréal showcased its generative AI beauty advisor, 3CE GENBA, as part of its AI-Powered Beauty Odyssey-themed exhibit at WAIC. Powered by the brands' knowledge base and proprietary AI model, 3CE GENBA provides consumers with recommendations on product selection and makeup looks. The firm also presented its hairstyling Magic Mirror from Professional Products Division, which allows consumers to virtually try out different hairstyles and styling effects, helping them quickly find a style that best suits them.
 

But L'Oréal's AI push goes beyond the consumer journey, L'Oréal is also embedding AI throughout its product development process. For example, its Hair Digital Twin model built on the world's largest hair science database covers different hair types to rapidly simulate product formulations during research and development. Meanwhile, its Longevity Integrative Science with Longevity AI Cloud analyzes over 260 skin aging biomarkers to shift skincare from reactive correction to proactive prevention.

AI is a long-term strategic investment that is closely aligned with our brands’ core values, L'Oréal Group Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Andreea Lachapelle told Yicai, adding that AI is a means of advancing the Beauty Tech.

The key to integrating AI into the beauty industry lies in striking the right balance between math and magic, Lachapelle said. While algorithms can deliver speed and scale, brands and products risk losing their identity without a human-centered approach.

China provides fertile ground for L'Oréal's AI strategy, Lachapelle said, pointing to the rapid pace of technological iteration and consumers' willingness to embrace new technologies. This momentum—along with close collaboration among academia, government, and industry—is helping to accelerate the commercialization of innovation.

L'Oréal has already formed strategic partnerships with several leading Chinese AI model developers, including ByteDance’s Volcano Engine and Alibaba Cloud, to enhance consumer experiences and support content creation.

In addition, L'Oréal's Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program, which was initiated in China, will continue to explore new AI+ applications this year, working with startups and small and medium-sized enterprises to develop groundbreaking beauty technology solutions.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Kim Taylor