Jo Malone London has partnered with Google Cloud to launch an AI-powered Scent Advisor, designed to recreate the brand's signature in-store fragrance consultation online.

Currently available on its US and UK websites, the new tool is designed to help online customers discover their perfect fragrance through an “intuitive, conversational journey.”

It uses AI to help customers describe in their own words the type of scent they are looking for, whether for themselves or as a gift.

The technology uses Google Gemini and Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform, with the chatbot interpreting natural language responses and mapping them to Jo Malone London's olfactory data to generate personalised, expert-informed fragrance recommendations.

The move comes as the retailer, part of multinational cosmetics group The Estée Lauder Companies, says that online perfume shopping often lacks the sensory stimuli of the in-store experience, making it difficult for consumers, particularly first-time buyers, to choose a fragrance with confidence.

The new experience aims to address this challenge while offering a more personalised and playful experience for customers, the retailer said.

The AI experience was developed by The Estée Lauder Companies' AI and Innovation teams, who combined proprietary data, brand expertise and Google Cloud's AI capabilities.

Commenting on the experience, Jo Dancey, global brand president at Jo Malone London, said that AI can help create “a new era” in the digital discovery of fragrances.

“With the launch of our AI Scent Adviser, we’re strengthening the way consumers explore scents, bringing the Jo Malone spirit of curiosity and creativity to online fragrance discovery,” Dancey continued.

Brian Franz, chief technology, data and analytics officer at The Estée Lauder Companies added that the advisor shows the group’s ongoing commitment to leveraging technology to elevate consumer experiences.

“By powering AI-driven innovation, we are bringing to market products and experiences that truly resonate with our consumers,” he added.

Founded in 1994 and acquired by The Estée Lauder Group in 1999, Jo Malone London is a retailer specialised in luxury fragrances, home scents, and bath & body essentials.

The Estée Lauder Companies’ products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including, Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, and BALMAIN Beauty.

---