On 24 June, JFD, in collaboration with EY, L’Oréal Groupe et LVMH, brought together an exceptional panel of female experts to explore a theme at the crossroads of innovation, know-how and gender diversity:
“Women rAIsing in Luxury”, or how to make artificial intelligence a lever for responsible and inclusive transformation in the luxury industry.
The event, summed up by Upmeet, a 100% French, sovereign and ethical AI, featured a wide-ranging discussion on the balance between technology and emotion, artisanal excellence and enhanced innovation, creativity and inclusion.
Chiara Allegri, International Director CARITA, L’Oréal Groupe: AI at the service of expert touch
At CARITA, an iconic luxury brand, human expertise is sacred. Chiara Allegri shared how AI enhances the customer experience, without ever replacing the emotional intelligence of the beautician or consultant:
- AI-assisted skin diagnosis, for finely-tuned personalisation of skincare routines.
- Predictive AI, capable of anticipating skin needs even before the signs of ageing appear.
- AI-controlled instrumental cosmetics, with expert gestures that are always human, guaranteeing the sensorial experience that is the hallmark of luxury.
In terms of content, L’Oréal Groupe is careful to preserve human creativity while training its teams in the ethical and controlled use of AI, in particular through its own L’Oréal GPT.
Laure Leverrier, Chief Information Officer, KENZO, LVMH Group: structuring AI in a global group
Laure Leverrier emphasised how quickly employees adopt generative AI, sometimes without any initial guidance. In response to this, KENZO and more broadly LVMH has structured a proactive response:
- Launch of MaIA, a secure internal ChatGPT to protect sensitive data.
- Prompting training to ensure AI use is mastered in all business areas.
- Support for sales staff with AI assistants in shops, facilitating the transmission of knowledge.
Committed to diversity, it points out that tech in the luxury sector is still too male-dominated. LVMH is taking action through the Women in Tech network that it co-founded, mentoring, partnerships with schools and a dedicated internship policy.
Delphine Remy-Boutang, Founder & CEO JFD: turning AI into an opportunity for women
Delphine Remy-Boutang delivered a strong message: there is an urgent need to make AI an inclusive venture. Nearly 50% of women leave tech after 8 to 10 years in the industry, and parity in ComEx is still far from being achieved (29% of AI directors are women vs. 65% men).
She also announced that the next instalment of the European AI Barometer by JFD, published in collaboration with EY Fabernovel, OpinionWay and a committee of international experts. It will include a chapter on the Luxury Goods sector: an analysis to shed light on the challenges and concrete recommendations to make AI a real factor for progress in this field.
Delphine Remy-Boutang took the opportunity to unveil an exclusive new joint project between JFD and Maddyness: the Women Open Innovation Dinners.
Rachel Daydou, Partner EY Fabernovel: towards AI that is culturally rooted and ethically controlled
Rachel Daydou, who specialises in AI and sustainability for luxury brands at EY Fabernovel, reminded us of the extent to which the cultural context affects the place of women in tech: in China and India, women are much more present. A sign that gender diversity is not inevitable.
She warned of the risks of standardisation in luxury if AI is misused. Augmented craftsmanship must remain at the service of uniqueness, not uniformity.
Caroline Martin, Partner at EY Fabernovel, brilliantly moderated the round table, summarising the key issues:
- How can we reconcile creation and automation?
- How can we ensure the emergence of strong female leadership in technology?
- How can we ensure that AI serves emotion and transmission rather than the erasure of the human touch?
Luxury, with its capacity for innovation, is an ideal laboratory for ethical and inclusive AI.
Through “Women rAIsing in Luxury”, JFD has reaffirmed that technological transformation cannot be achieved without women.
Together, let’s continue to pave the way for a luxury that is augmented… but profoundly human.
