Parfumplus

P A R F U M P L U S 13 Is The Future Already Here?! GROUNDBREAKING INNOVATIONS ARE in the making when it comes to machine learning (ML)—a subfield of AI—that gives computers the ability to learn without explicitly being programmed. So what is brewing behind the scenes, waiting to make the next big impact in fragrance and AI? The WPC 2022 showcased three technologies that highlighted how the business of scent is being digitised from the supplier through to the consumer. PHILYRA : AUGMENTING THE PERFUMER Creativity is hard to achieve, yet easy to recognize. If a machine can identify and create something that has never been done before, then it can be argued that computational creativity exists. One example is Philyra, a program jointly designed by IBM and Symrise to augment a perfumer’s expertise and achieve higher creativity and sustainability in the creative process. The platform uses machine learning to help identify patterns and generate novel combinations of fragrance formulations. The platform’s data is encrypted, consisting of 20-plus dimensions of more than 2,000 raw materials and 3.5 million fragrance formulas. The algorithm learns from existing formulas, raw materials, historical success data and industry trends. Use cases include creating a new signature fragrance or flanker strategy based on white space analysis, as well as focusing on a micro-target or sustainability. The starting point for this tool is the fragrance formula, known as the "seed formula." Once the formula is added to the system, the perfumer can mark how far away from the original they are looking to push the boundaries in their creation. The unique possibilities of fragrances are limitless. Do we want the new fragrance to resemble what has been deemed successful in the past or are we willing to accept larger deviations and potentially be rewarded with entirely new creations?