Now, Even Your Perfume May Be The Result Of Artificial Intelligence

Veteran perfumer David Apel works on the AI-designed fragrance.IBM and Symrise Artificial intelligence, a buzzword across several sectors, may be about to shake up the fragrance industry. IBM Research and Symrise -- a major global producer of flavors and fragrances that counts among its clients Estee Lauder, Coty and Victoria's Secret parent L Brands -- have created what they described as the industry's first AI-designed perfume for sale, after the two parties came together over a year ago. The AI tool, named Philyra, uses a machine-learning algorithm to study Symrise's database of some 1.7 million formulas and can identify "white space" before suggesting not only formulas that may resonate with consumers but also combinations that perfumers may not have thought of before. For instance, when asked to come up with the "most creative" interpretation of a fragrance created 12 years ago, the AI system generated one formula that removed an outdated material and upped the dosage of a popular sandalwood scent. It also unexpectedly introduced to the mix cedar wood, another ingredient popular with today's consumers, said David Apel, Symrise's VP and senior perfumer of fine fragrance.