AI technology creates personalized perfumes at São Paulo festival

At the FILE Festival in São Paulo, visitors tested an artificial intelligence system capable of creating personalized perfumes in less than 10 minutes. Developed by Belgian artist Frederik Duerinck through his company Scentronix, the installation titled ‘Algorithmic Perfumery by EveryHuman’ allows users to interact with a chatbot to define scents based on abstract concepts, such as ‘peace’ or ‘freedom,’ or specific olfactory notes.

Users access the system via a QR code, engage in a conversation with a bot to generate a unique scent profile, and receive a code to input into a machine. The machine then uses a conveyor belt system to mix ingredients from 54 different olfactory accord bottles to produce a 5 ml sample.

The project received support from Natura and the Brazilian Association of the Personal Hygiene, Perfumery and Cosmetics Industry (ABIHPEC) to navigate Anvisa’s strict regulations regarding chemical handling in public spaces. Natura is planning to bring this technology to its retail stores by 2026 and is also developing internal technology for personalized makeup, such as custom foundation shades.