04.26.24
The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) and Microsoft Corp. are creaing an AI Innovation Lab as an expansion of their global strategic relationship. Leveraging generative AI capabilities in Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, the companies say they will work together to develop solutions to further empower ELC’s prestige beauty brands, including ramping up speed to market.
ELC and Microsoft began their initial partnership in 2017. Microsoft Azure AI is the platform for ELC's Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA), a mobile app that launched in early 2023 to help visually impaired users more easily and confidently apply makeup. The app is available on iOS and Android in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland, and it will be rolled out to additional markets and languages in the coming months.
Today's expanded global relationship will further support and build “impactful generative AI use cases” across several areas of ELC’s business, including faster response and execution to social trends and consumer demands, and faster and more effective production innovation, according to the beauty giant and No. 2 company in Happi’s 2023 Top 50 Report.
ELC and Microsoft have successfully created an internal-facing generative AI chatbot to enhance marketing effectiveness globally. The tool utilizes advanced conversational AI technology to efficiently navigate and further leverage ELC’s proprietary and extensive database of product and claim data, allowing brands to more rapidly launch locally relevant campaigns, according to Lauder.
"At ELC, technology is always in support of our enduring strengths of high-quality products and high-touch consumer experiences. With Microsoft’s generative AI tools and extensive expertise, we are able to leverage ELC’s tremendous data to create more personalized consumer experiences and faster insights to action resulting in increased speed to market and stronger local relevancy. We look forward to continuing our close and collaborative partnership with Microsoft," said Jane Lauder, EVP, enterprise marketing and chief data officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.
"Generative AI represents a significant opportunity for the beauty industry – creating more engaging customer experiences, getting products into the hands of consumers faster, developing new products more efficiently and sustainably and much more,” said Shelley Bransten, corporate vice president, global industry solutions, Microsoft. “We’re proud to collaborate with The Estée Lauder Companies to provide not only a platform for AI innovation, but also deep partnership to bring these new innovations to life."
ELC and Microsoft began their initial partnership in 2017. Microsoft Azure AI is the platform for ELC's Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA), a mobile app that launched in early 2023 to help visually impaired users more easily and confidently apply makeup. The app is available on iOS and Android in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland, and it will be rolled out to additional markets and languages in the coming months.
Today's expanded global relationship will further support and build “impactful generative AI use cases” across several areas of ELC’s business, including faster response and execution to social trends and consumer demands, and faster and more effective production innovation, according to the beauty giant and No. 2 company in Happi’s 2023 Top 50 Report.
AI Tools in R&D
ELC and Microsoft are applying generative AI tools in research and development for quicker product development, allowing scientists and product development specialists to respond to emerging product and ingredient trends more rapidly.ELC and Microsoft have successfully created an internal-facing generative AI chatbot to enhance marketing effectiveness globally. The tool utilizes advanced conversational AI technology to efficiently navigate and further leverage ELC’s proprietary and extensive database of product and claim data, allowing brands to more rapidly launch locally relevant campaigns, according to Lauder.
"At ELC, technology is always in support of our enduring strengths of high-quality products and high-touch consumer experiences. With Microsoft’s generative AI tools and extensive expertise, we are able to leverage ELC’s tremendous data to create more personalized consumer experiences and faster insights to action resulting in increased speed to market and stronger local relevancy. We look forward to continuing our close and collaborative partnership with Microsoft," said Jane Lauder, EVP, enterprise marketing and chief data officer, The Estée Lauder Companies.
"Generative AI represents a significant opportunity for the beauty industry – creating more engaging customer experiences, getting products into the hands of consumers faster, developing new products more efficiently and sustainably and much more,” said Shelley Bransten, corporate vice president, global industry solutions, Microsoft. “We’re proud to collaborate with The Estée Lauder Companies to provide not only a platform for AI innovation, but also deep partnership to bring these new innovations to life."