Unilever quantum computing will revolutionize beauty

Unilever is investing in robotics, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, seeing them as key to the next phase of beauty innovation. They're looking at the potential of quantum computing for R&D, hoping it will be able to calculate ambiguity in data - something current models can't do.

Although quantum computing sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, it's becoming a topic of conversation in the beauty industry. In fact, quantum computing is still in the "big picture thinking" stage, but it's already being recognized as the next big thing that could affect the way beauty research and development is done.

Personal care giant Unilever is beginning to explore the potential applications of quantum computing and next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) in beauty R&D.

For example, the company is already using automated robots and AI at its Materials Innovation Facility in Liverpool, UK, to deliver game-changing formulas for brands such as Dove, Hourglass and TRESemmé.

Unilever is also exploring this with its scientific partners at the STFC Hartley Center in Cheshire, UK (with which Unilever has a long-standing relationship) - which is stepping up its work on artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

But what exactly is quantum computing and why is it making waves in the industry?

"Quantum computing allows us to solve problems in less time than traditional computing." So argues Alberto Prado, Head of Digital and Collaboration at Unilever R&D. Prado also explains what quantum computing is, its potential application in beauty R&D, and the risks associated with it: "The beauty industry is at the beginning of a really exciting era where AI has been integrated into the lives of consumers, bringing with it huge future scientific and product innovation opportunities."

"In my opinion, Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning and ultimately quantum computing will change the way we understand and intervene at the endpoint." Dr. Samantha Tucker-Samaras, vice president of global science and technology at Unilever, also said that discoveries driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are transforming skincare.

Dr. Samaras leads innovation and science for Unilever's Personal Care and Beauty & Wellness businesses. She also spearheads the science and technology behind brands such as Dove, Vaseline and Axe.

"Scientific advances combining digital biology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and ultimately quantum computing are changing the way we understand and intervene in areas such as dandruff, acne, aging and more."

Over the past decade, Unilever has been working to expand the use of digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to enable smarter work. "We've only just begun to scratch the surface of what's possible," says Dr. Samaras.

For example, pimples are a complex biological response that combines many factors-from the environment to the microbiome to genetics. "By using AI, we can unlock and understand the small, multifaceted changes in our bodies that can lead to something like papules at a deep biological level, which helps us develop better technologies and products for consumers."

"Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence provide us with the tools to process millions of data points to identify the 'tipping points' that create acne or dry skin."

Samaras said Unilever is using their discoveries in AI to produce better products for consumers.

For example, ceramides are important lipids that play a vital role in keeping skin healthy by helping it retain moisture and protect itself from environmental influences. They are also important for preventing signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles, which is why they are often used in skincare products.

Using artificial intelligence, scientists at Unilever have discovered how to use a proprietary combination of ingredients to nourish the skin and help it produce more natural ceramides. This kind of research is only possible by analyzing large amounts of data and studying how the skin reacts to different combinations of beneficial ingredients-something scientists wouldn't be able to do without AI.

Samaras says AI allows them to test millions of formula combinations in seconds, create better formulas for consumers and identify alternative ingredients. This not only enhances the resilience of our supply chain, but also helps to make formulations more sustainable and cost-effective without compromising on product quality or efficacy.

Samaras added, "We can conduct virtual mapping, modeling and experiments to digitally design and simulate processes before innovative products are manufactured in our plants around the world."

They believe that there is no limit to what can be achieved using AI and quantum computing.

"The beauty industry is at the beginning of a really exciting era where AI and eventually quantum computing will be integrated into our lives, leading to incredible scientific and product innovation opportunities."

"One of the most exciting things is understanding how products and practices fit into and interact with the broader ecosystem of our lives and then delivering those insights directly to consumers."

Samaras said they have more than 300 AI applications in their business. They are using the technology to help identify alternative ingredients that can improve supply chain resilience, making their formulations more sustainable and cost-effective.

"We're also using AI to simplify our formulations by reducing the number of ingredients without compromising the quality or effectiveness of our products." Samaras said, "For example, our proprietary AI algorithms help identify, screen and measure creative and trending opportunities in key global markets, which makes identifying trends faster than ever."

Some of these trending products include Sharsley's Onion and Jojoba Oil Shampoo. Onion and jojoba oil are considered popular shampoo ingredients in India, and Samaras' team researched the opportunity, prototyped it, tested it with consumers, and launched it in less than 100 days; another example is the Lynx AI Body Spray (limited edition), which was developed using 46 terabytes of data, 6,000 ingredients, and 3.5 million potential scent combinations to create a unique scent.

On the technology side, AI will help Unilever meet the needs of consumers and the planet more effectively, finding new combinations of ingredients and creating more and more sustainable products.

"Using AI, we can predict how the skin will react biologically when exposed to certain chemicals or ingredients. We believe in using science, not animals, to ensure our products are safe."

Unilever has more than 25 PETA-approved brands, including TRESemmé, Simple, Sunsilk, and Lakmé. in 2018, Unilever supported a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics, and the Dove brand was recognized by PETA.

Take the red lipstick.

Samaras says: "This beautiful, vibrant red color is created from an ingredient called red carmine - which has been the perfect pigment to create beautiful red lips for thousands of years. Until now, no one has been able to match it for depth and intensity of color; unfortunately, red carmine is made from beetles: a single tube of lipstick may require the crumbs of up to 1,000 insects."

When Unilever wanted to create a truly vegan, cruelty-free alternative, they turned to artificial intelligence.

"We started by analyzing and really defining what makes carmine special using computers, which can define every color combination that the human eye might see. Once we had a true characterization of the color, we put the AI to work creating combinations and possibilities that would normally take millions of physical experiments to replicate."

Samaras said, "This technology has already been rolled out in our Hourglass Red Zero lipstick, which is an example of truly groundbreaking innovation that would have taken scientists years to accomplish without digital tools."

Hourglass' Red 0 Vegan Lipstick was created using artificial intelligence technology and machine learning.

The microbiome is an area that Unilever has been researching for about 15 years, Samaras says: "About five or six years ago, with the arrival of AI technology, it became possible to better understand how the microbiome interacts with the host and how the gut, skin and brain are interconnected."

"Through AI-driven data analysis, we studied the microbiome (the 100 trillion + microbes in, on and around our bodies) and its role in stimulating our immune system and keeping our skin healthy." Samaras' team ended up discovering how the skin microbiome and skin ceramides can be managed through products to help address skin quality and hydration.

"Artificial intelligence is helping us understand some very normal and common biological reactions at a deep and fundamental level."

Samaras explains, "This technology is revealing insights and testable hypotheses from overlapping, complex, and high-dimensional genomics, microbiomics, and proteomics data, giving us a deeper understanding of how something as simple as a pimple or a wrinkle can happen."

Artificial intelligence and machine learning also provide Samaras' team with complex data sets and the ability to track patterns in a way never before possible. "These technologies also allow us to analyze how certain formulas or products affect these skin outcomes."

Advances in technology, bioinformatics and, increasingly, artificial intelligence techniques are opening up new knowledge about the human microbiome and how it interacts with our biology every day. Related research also has the potential to unlock the future of beauty and wellness, enabling them to create a new generation of products based on data and scientific knowledge.

"For example, scientifically tracking the impact of beauty and personal care products on a consumer's diet or water temperature is really unlocking the future of health and our knowledge in this area."

About Unilever:

Unilever is a British multinational consumer goods company founded on September 2, 1929, through the merger of Lever Brothers, a British soap manufacturer, and Margarine Unie, a Dutch margarine producer. It is currently headquartered in London.

Unilever products include baby food, beauty products, bottled water, breakfast cereals, detergents, flavors, energy drinks, health and hygiene products, ice cream, instant coffee, pet food, pharmaceuticals, soft drinks, tea and toothpaste. It is the world's largest producer of soap and sells its products in more than 190 countries.

Reference links:

[1]https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/Why_Unilever_thinks_quantum_computing_could_be_the_future_of_beauty_innovation/ 210290

[2]https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2023/03/08/Beauty-tech-like-AI-machine-learning-and-quantum-computing-the-future -of-innovation-says-Unilever-VP?utm_source=copyright&utm_medium=OnSite&utm_campaign=copyright

[3]https://www.unilever.com/

[4]https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2023/04/18/how-unilever-uses-ai-to-undestand-skincare-and-the-human-microbiome/?sh= 7d61c1b32441