JapanConsumer goods2023 – ongoingShiseido
VOYAGER formulation AI for cosmetics R&D
Shiseido's formulation AI, running since February 2024, is used by more than 80% of its researchers
Problem
Cosmetic formulations depend on many variables, from raw materials to texture and stability. Researchers had to dig through years of scattered experiment records to find a starting point for each new product.
Approach
Shiseido built the formulation AI with Accenture, and ITOCHU Techno-Solutions built the VOYAGER platform that hosts it. The system holds more than half a million data points from the company's researchers. It predicts missing data and searches for similar formulations across categories such as skincare and foundation. In one example, researchers used the similar-formulation search to prototype a cleanser with a refreshing feel and dense lather. Shiseido plans to extend VOYAGER to its other research centers worldwide.
Results
Takeaway
The company reports that most of its researchers adopted the tool within roughly seven months of full operation. It gives no figures yet on development time or cost.
Categories
- Size
- Large enterprise
- Industry
- Consumer goods
- Business function
- IT and R&D
- Innovation type
- Process innovation
- AI technology
- Predictive analytics and ML
- Adoption
- Co-developed with a partner
- Evidence
- Company's own claim
Sources
Source summaries
Shiseido says the formulation AI, built with Accenture, has been fully operational since February 2024 on the VOYAGER platform. It cites a database of over half a million data points and says more than 80% of its researchers use the tool. It also describes a prototype cleanser developed with similar-formulation search and plans to expand to other research centers.
Full details are in the original sources.
