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Imagine your individual perfume is no longer created by a perfumer, but by a machine. This is already a reality at the Viennese perfumery Cosmotheca.
The artificial intelligence revolution is stopping at almost nothing – not even the world of fragrances. Even areas that were once reserved for only the most experienced perfumers are now being penetrated by AI. In the Viennese perfumery Cosmotheca at Wollzeile 17, individual perfume production is being rethought with the help of artificial intelligence. The “fragrance robot” from the company Algorithmic Perfumery uses personal data to quickly and precisely develop tailor-made fragrance creations – without the help of human perfumers.
The power of algorithms: AI is revolutionizing more and more areas of life
How does the “scent robot” work?
In order for the AI to create a perfume, customers must first fill out a questionnaire on their smartphone. This focuses less on traditional fragrance preferences and more on personal characteristics and traits. More unusual and abstract questions are also asked, such as which color best reflects one’s personality or the environment in which one grew up.
In order to create a customized perfume based on the data, three AI systems work hand in hand: The first system is responsible for the composition and uses 46 fragrance building blocks (accords) consisting of five to eight ingredients. Through machine learning, the system understands how these accords can be combined to create new fragrance compositions and recognizes which combinations are harmonious. The second system analyzes the customer data and creates an individual profile, while the third system uses this profile to mix a unique fragrance in combination with the machine.
For 45 euros, the customer then receives three different fragrances, each tailored to their personality. Each perfume is provided with an individual code so that the favorite can be reordered or adjusted at any time. In this way, the machine is constantly learning and refining the creation according to personal preferences.
Aik Sargsian, founder of Cosmotheca, sees this AI technology as a groundbreaking innovation. In an article from Heute he describes it as an “absolute game changer” that could turn the perfume industry on its head.
Our aim is to focus on the customer’s personality. Instead of following the scents of the popular luxury brands, you can give your character an individual scent with us.
Aik Sargsian (Source: heute.at)
Perfume creation via smartphone: the personal fragrance begins with a questionnaire
Algorithms control the entire creation process, from analyzing customer profiles to the final fragrance blend
The machine uses 46 different fragrance chords, each consisting of a combination of five to eight selected ingredients
At the end, the customer receives three individually created fragrances, tailored to their personal preferences
Algorithmic Perfumery: Who is behind it?
Behind the technology is the Dutch company EveryHuman: Algorithmic Perfumery, which was founded by Frederik Duerinck. The idea came to him back in 2017 when he was working with International Flavor and Fragrances on an art exhibition in New York. The theme of the exhibition was the future of multisensory design and the question of how perfumery can be rethought and changed.
While working on an exhibit in which a musician used computer-generated sounds and a perfumer controlled the creative process, he asked himself: what if technology could be used to create customized fragrances – and people could even watch it live? While still at the exhibition, he began to think about how much money he would need for his project. Shortly afterwards, he quit his job and presented Algorithmic Perfumery in the USA in 2018.
Frederik Duerinck – the founder of Algorithmic Perfumery
In addition to the perfumery in Vienna, the company’s “fragrance robot” can already be found at several other locations, including the Living Lab in Breda, the company’s headquarters in the Netherlands. The technology is also represented in the Museum of the Future in Dubai and in London on the famous Oxford Street – here in cooperation with The Fragrance Shop.
While many welcome the innovation, there are also critical voices who fear that AI could dehumanize the craft of perfume production. Frederik Duerinck, however, believes in the great potential of this technology. In an interview with the Center for Data Innovation he explains:
Algorithmic Perfumery is about empowering individuals to craft distinct scents that deeply resonate. I think it is fascinating that AI can help us create things that evoke genuine emotional reactions and also challenges us as a species to question what it means to be emotionally touched.
Frederik Duerinck
Duerinck is convinced that everyone intuitively knows which fragrance suits them best. That is why he sees his mission as making the art of perfume making accessible to everyone and giving people the opportunity to be creative and experiment for themselves.
The “scent robot” in the “Museum of the Future” in Dubai
The use of AI in the perfume industry: a global trend
The influence of artificial intelligence has long been noticeable in the world of fragrances. Major players such as Symrise, Firmenich and IFF have been using intelligent technologies for years to support their perfumers in the development of new, ground-breaking fragrance creations.
Symrise took a pioneering role when the company launched the AI system Philyra together with IBM Research: Philyra analyzes extensive data of existing fragrance formulas, ingredients and market trends to suggest innovative and market-oriented fragrance combinations. in 2019, perfumer David Apel used the technology to create the fragrances “Egeo ON Me” and “Egeo ON You” for the Brazilian label O Boticário – an example of how technology and art are increasingly merging in perfumery.
“Egeo ON Me” by O Boticário, a perfume developed by AI
In 2022, a new version of Philyra was launched with a stronger focus on sustainability. This can create fragrances with more sustainable ingredients or make existing formulas more environmentally friendly – which is worth its weight in gold in times of raw material shortages and increasing environmental awareness. So far, AI has primarily been used to support perfumers, not to replace them.
If you want to learn more about how AI is used in perfume development, I can recommend this post on Parfumo
Is AI threatening the traditional art of perfumery?
The use of AI in perfumery brings many advantages. Processes that used to take months or years can now be implemented in a matter of hours or days. Thanks to the latest technologies, companies can not only react quickly to trends, but also create precise fragrance compositions from over 3,500 raw materials – a skill that was traditionally reserved for around 2,000 perfumers worldwide.
The heart of the perfumer’s art: fragrance essences on blotter strips
But one central question remains: Perfumers draw on a rich pool of memories, intuition and decades of experience to create fragrances that can touch people deeply. With their passion, they create the invisible link between fragrance and emotion. Machines may work with countless data and algorithms, but can they really replace the fine intuition and emotional depth of a perfumer who works with dedication on a fragrance?
What do you think? Is the “fragrance robot” a revolutionary step or rather a threat to traditional craftsmanship? Would you let an AI create a perfume for you?
Image sources: Von Ayala Sender from Vancouver, BC, Canada, Canada – Scent Strips, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3091084; https://pixabay.com