Unilever is ramping up its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help consumers make personalised product choices, drive differentiation, and boost sales for its beauty brands. The company has launched new tools that utilise AI capabilities to offer personalised product recommendations, with consumers who discover new products on Unilever's Beauty Hub PRO AI tool being 43% more likely to complete a purchase.

Dove's virtual Scalp + Hair Therapist, for instance, is meeting increasing consumer demand for scalp care expertise and providing valuable consumer insights for the brand. Unilever's beauty brands are using AI to create engaging, hyper-personalised consumer experiences. The company has launched a range of AI-powered, digital diagnostic tools in collaboration with its in-house beauty tech division, IT, AI assurance, legal and data ethics experts, and teams across its Beauty & Wellbeing business group.

"We want to disrupt the category, driving differentiation and, in turn, incremental growth. Industry-leading operational excellence, using AI digital solutions to grow our business, is a core pillar of Unilever's Growth Action Plan," says Zoe Eungblut, Beauty & Wellbeing Digital Strategy Director at Unilever.

The Beauty Hub PRO is an AI-powered selfie tool that offers product advice for both skincare and haircare on one engaging online platform. It uses a type of AI, known as Computer Vision, to 'see' and assess up to 30 visual data points, and make personalised product recommendations based on several different Unilever brands. The total shopping basket value of consumers who purchase from Beauty Hub PRO is 39% higher than consumers who shop elsewhere.

"Technology is powering a digital beauty revolution and changing how brands communicate. By delivering breakthrough immersive beauty experiences, we can drive science, build desirability, and deliver cut-through in an unexpected way," Eungblut adds.

More than 80,000 users experienced Beauty Hub PRO in 2023, expanding its reach to more than 3 million people. Dove's new Scalp + Hair Therapy range introduces advanced haircare and leave-on serums developed with dermatologists. Dove's virtual AI-powered Scalp + Hair Therapist is an interactive diagnostic tool accessed via Dove's website.

"It's early days for Dove's Scalp + Hair Therapist but we're so excited to be elevating the online experience for our consumers and sharing Dove's expertise in an area where we're seeing considerable interest," says Rachel St. Fleur, Associate Director, Dove Hair, North America.

Pond's Skin Institute launched AI Skin Expert in Indonesia and the Philippines in Q4 2023. Pond's Skin Institute's AI Skin Expert uses AI technology to look at users' selfies and carries out a skin analysis, helping consumers to identify and understand their skincare concerns. Since launch, more than 30,000 consumers have used Pond's Skin InstituteAI Skin Expert, and the brand is predicting more than 100,000 users by the end of 2024.

"We're excited about the possibilities AI can provide for Unilever and our consumers - and we're committed to developing and deploying AI in line with our core values, Code of Business Principles and applicable legal and regulatory requirements," says Fahim Salim, Global Technology Director, Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever.

"While we have internal processes and guardrails to mitigate foreseeable AI risks, we're aware that this is a space for continuous learning, and we aim to evolve our internal processes and efforts in line with delivering superior experiences for our consumers," Salim concludes.