Generative AI and the Perfume Industry
At the time of writing, a year and a half has already passed since ChatGPT took the world by storm. Yet in that short period, generative AI, including ChatGPT, has evolved rapidly. This article briefly explains the much-discussed technology and introduces ideas that can be useful not only to perfume lovers but also to businesses.
To recap, put simply, generative AI is “AI trained on large amounts of data in the language we use, which automatically generates text by making inferences from context and content.” It does not simply produce answers prepared by a human in advance. In the past, chatbots could automatically handle basic interactions on a person’s behalf using prewritten questions and answers or preset choices. In the coming era, however, when you say, “Recommend a perfume,” the AI can ask, “What kinds of scents do you like?” or “Which perfume are you using now?” and provide a different answer for each person through that conversation.
In the perfume industry, major companies such as Givaudan and IFF are known to have been using AI. In Japan, however, we hear very little about it, which suggests a lack of familiarity not only with perfume but also with AI. I believe the important thing is not simply to use AI, but to use it to do things we had never even thought of before.
What AI gives me is time to explore new olfactory territories, visions and approaches.
Perfumer Honorine Blanc
At present, the following are the main ways generative AI, using ChatGPT as our example, seems likely to contribute to the perfume industry.
- Natural conversation that feels like talking to a person, and answers obtained through internet searches (web browsing). It can interpret what someone says, bring together information from various sources and offer a range of responses to a request. Uses include ideas, summaries, meetings (event proposals), an alternative to Wikipedia, translation, companionship and real-time market analysis.
- Generating images and editing parts of the generated images. Uses include automated content creation, logos for new brands and illustrative imagery.
- Interpreting images and data.
- Customization for yourself or your company. Uses include online sales assistance, training, an alternative to reference materials or a writer, and customer support.
- Doing all of the above by voice, with multilingual support. Uses include personalized experiences, interactive user experiences and global expansion.
I wrote the article below about a year ago, when it was not yet possible to customize ChatGPT for yourself. Voice replies have also become possible through ChatGPT-4o, which launched only about a month ago, and apparently it will be possible to customize voices in the future as well.
AI as a Perfume Concierge?!
This site sees generative AI not as a passing trend but as something that will transform the perfume industry, and we have used it in various ways since ChatGPT appeared: generating banner images, refining writing, creating summaries, writing English articles and developing ideas, for example. Then, using the custom GPTs introduced in ChatGPT last November, we created ARIA in 2023, probably Japan’s first AI perfume concierge.
ARIA has been supplied with all the data from this site, efficiently learning from articles based on websites and books from around the world. It is configured to converse as a concierge in a way that makes users feel as comfortable as possible. It is also set up to provide training for businesses and sales staff. Now, let us have ARIA introduce itself.
Hello, I am “Perfume AI Concierge ARIA.” I am an AI with specialist knowledge of perfume, designed to provide detailed information about products, how to use them, the character of their scents and the background of their brands.
My main roles are as follows:
- Answering questions about perfume.
- Suggesting perfumes that match users’ preferences.
- Offering advice on choosing perfume and the situations in which to wear it.
- Providing a setting for perfume-related training.
Please feel free to ask about the type of scent you are looking for, a particular brand or product, or any other question you have about perfume. Let us enjoy the wonderful world of fragrance together!
Now, let me explain how to use ARIA. You can follow the steps below even with a free account, although limits apply, so please feel free to give it a try.
① Search for ChatGPT and click the first result labeled “ChatGPT.”
② Click “Sign up” and create an account. Having a Google account makes this quite easy.
③ Click the verification button in the email sent to your email address, then log in again. You are ready to use ChatGPT!
④ Click “Explore GPTs” in the left sidebar (on a smartphone, open it using the two lines at the top left). Then enter “perfume ai” in the search box. “Perfume AI Concierge ARIA” will appear somewhere among the results near the top, so click it. Although it says “EN / Japanese,” it can be used in any language. At this point, it seems that 60 or more people are using it.
⑤ The section labeled “Conversation starters” is where you can begin. I have provided four options, so if you simply want to try it out, click any one of them. If you already know what you would like to ask, choose “Start Chat.” Now all that remains is to enjoy it!
I am confident that this will make your life with perfume even more enjoyable.
I plan to keep improving the AI perfume concierge ARIA by giving it a voice, enabling spoken conversations and allowing it to read sales materials, with the aim of making it a digital sales assistant in department stores and perfume shops. Stay tuned. (If any businesses are interested, I would be happy to help in whatever small way I can.)
Conversation Tips
Below are examples of actual exchanges with ARIA. Please use them as inspiration for your own conversations and ways of using it.
Choosing a Perfume
Training for Sales Staff and Businesses
