Economic News
L'Oréal debuts at WAIC, marking AI's new frontier in beauty industry 2026-07-21
L'Oréal made history as the first international beauty group to participate in the 2026 World AI Conference (WAIC), signaling AI's accelerating expansion from tech and industrial sectors into the consumer beauty landscape.
Under the theme "AI-Powered Beauty Odyssey," L'Oréal showcases its AI achievements across three dimensions: consumer journeys, metiers and employees, and ecosystem.
On the consumer front, 3CE GENBA — the group's first offline generative AI beauty consultant — and PPD Magic Mirror offer personalized makeup try-ons and virtual hairstyle.
For R&I, Longevity AI Cloud with over 260 biomarkers shifts skincare from correction to prevention, while Hair Digital Twin, built on the world's largest hair science database, triples lab simulation efficiency.
Alongside the exhibition, L'Oréal signed a strategic cooperation memorandum with Volcano Engine, hosted WAIC's first "AI for Beauty" special panel, and kicked off the second Beauty Techathon under Youth Fun to open industrial scenarios to young developers.
"AI and beauty is a perfect match. Because AI brings this infinite possibilities of innovation. But in the same time, beauty brings this human touch to AI," said Andreea Lachapelle, L'Oréal Group Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
Lachapelle described the combination of beauty and AI's uniqueness as "math and magic" — a natural blend of hard scientific rigor in formulation and ingredient research, and the humanistic aesthetics of emotion and creativity. This duality distinguishes beauty AI from industrial or robotics AI applications.
On how to evaluate a worthwhile AI project, Lachapelle proposed a three-dimensional value framework covering consumers, business operations and employees, rather than mere cost reduction.
"It's not just the cost reduction, it's really how we add this human value part," she said.
Lachapelle further emphasized that young generations, as AI natives, hold the key to unlocking beauty AI's full potential. Programs like the Beauty Techathon and BIG BANG open the group's platforms and data for co-creation, continuously expanding the boundaries of AI-powered beauty.
Source: China Daily
