Major beauty brands, including Beiersdorf, Clarins, and L’Oréal, are embracing the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) as the technology continues to evolve, presenting a new frontier for skincare innovations.
AI-powered skin analysis is gaining traction, shifting from its novelty in social media filters like FaceApp and TikTok’s “Aged” filter, to a more scientifically grounded tool used by the beauty industry. With AI’s potential growing, beauty companies are finding ways to integrate the technology into their product development, marketing, and consumer engagement strategies.
On January 15, Haut.AI, a cutting-edge AI company supported by Ulta Beauty and a member of Nvidia’s start-up program, announced its SkinGPT platform. This generative AI tool is designed to analyze facial images, predict future aging, and simulate the effects of skincare products and treatments. Haut.AI also launched Generative Skin, a consumer-facing platform that enables individuals to upload their own photos to receive skincare advice and visualize potential results.
Haut.AI’s platform is not alone in the AI skin analysis race. The launch comes on the heels of an AI-heavy CES conference in January, where companies like L’Oréal and Amorepacific also unveiled their AI-based skin analysis tools. These innovations are part of a broader effort by beauty brands to capitalize on the AI boom and take advantage of the rapid progress in this field.
“We’re going from filters to making photorealistic simulations,” said Anastasia Georgievskaya, founder and CEO of Haut.AI, highlighting the shift from simple filters to more scientifically informed AI skin analysis.
From Novelty to Science-Based Skincare
AI’s ability to simulate aging faces gained widespread attention in 2019 when FaceApp’s old-age filter went viral. The app sparked debates over privacy but also captivated millions of users, with over 150 million downloads. However, Haut.AI’s platform offers more than just a playful look at aging. Georgievskaya emphasized that SkinGPT’s analysis is grounded in real data, using before-and-after clinical trial photos provided by brands and research organizations. Unlike generic social media filters, the AI employs precise algorithms based on peer-reviewed research to deliver personalized skincare recommendations.
Clarins is using the platform to assess how its products impact various skin conditions, while Beiersdorf plans to integrate the tool into its research and development process. Unilever’s Pond’s brand is utilizing SkinGPT for an AI-driven skin analysis tool launched in Southeast Asia. Additionally, Ulta Beauty, through its Prisma Ventures fund, is exploring the technology’s potential to enhance its consumer offerings, according to Michelle Pacynski, the company’s vice president of digital innovation.
AI and the Beauty Industry’s Future
Haut.AI is not alone in its pursuit of AI-driven skincare tools. At CES, other major beauty players also unveiled innovations powered by AI. Amorepacific introduced an AI-powered chatbot that provides product recommendations after analyzing photos of a user’s skin tone and facial features. L’Oréal launched its BioPrint device, which leverages AI to measure protein levels in the skin and predict the effectiveness of various skincare ingredients, such as retinol.
“The combination of AI with hardware – physical objects – will be a real opportunity for beauty,” predicted Guive Balooch, L’Oréal’s global head of augmented beauty and open innovation. As beauty brands compete to integrate AI into their product offerings, the challenge will be encouraging consumers to adopt these new tools.
While Haut.AI is aiming to leverage influencer marketing and the viral potential of its technology to build awareness, for AI-driven skincare to truly resonate with consumers, brands must ensure the data provided is both accurate and reliable.
“The market is growing because people want more performance, but we have to convince them of that performance to be able to get them to change their routine,” Balooch noted.
As AI continues to shape the future of skincare, the beauty industry is betting that technology, when coupled with science-backed results, will transform how consumers approach their beauty routines.
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