L’Oréal Says AI Has Quadrupled New-Product Development Speed

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Reuters, French cosmetics company L’Oréal said it has used artificial intelligence to identify molecules in skincare products and repurpose them for shampoo, allowing new-product development to run up to four times faster than before. Fabrice Megarbane, president of L’Oréal’s consumer products division, said the company began using AI in its labs four years ago and has identified new molecules for beauty products by predicting their effects on skin and hair; he cited a recent innovation that reused a skincare molecule in a collagen-containing shampoo to make hair fuller and more elastic. The report also said consumer goods companies including Nestlé, Haleon and Mondelez International are using AI to speed ingredient testing and generate formulation ideas; Mondelez Chief Information and Digital Officer Filippo Catalano said AI tools have been used to develop gluten-free Oreo cookies and an improved Chips Ahoy recipe, and that 60% of AI-developed cookie formulations performed better on nutrition, sustainability and cost.