What it takes to integrate AI at scale
Behind the scenes at L'Oréal
Vincent Pirenne
Global Partner & Head of AI Strategy (EMEA)
L’Oréal isn’t just experimenting with AI. They’ve embedded GenAI into the daily work of thousands of employees, from R&D to marketing to retail.
The company made GenAI tools like L’Oréal GPT a core part of how business gets done: they are operationalizing it at scale, and they’re doing it with a level of intentionality and cultural alignment that most organizations can learn from.
In a recent episode of AI Insiders, I spoke with Beatrice Dautzenberg, Global Director of Beauty Tech Services at L’Oréal. Here’s what stood out.
1. L’Oréal GPT: Secure, scalable, and widely adopted
Like many companies, L’Oréal developed its own scalable solution–L’Oréal GPT, so that every team can use generative AI securely.
“L’Oréal GPT ensures safe, secure, internal usage of GenAI.”
⸻ Beatrice Dautzenberg
L’Oréal GPT is a custom-built, enterprise-grade GenAI assistant that speeds up daily work, sparks new ideas, and drives better collaboration, all while strictly protecting IP and consumer data.
The results?
It’s been fully adopted across the business. L’Oréal teams use it for a variety of day-to-day tasks, from video analysis to content creation.
2. Augmentation, not automation
The philosophy behind L’Oréal’s AI rollout is simple: the goal isn’t to replace people, it’s to empower them.
Chemists now have digital lab companions. Marketers use the in-house CRE-I-TECH GenAI stack for creative tasks to generate copy and visuals. Media teams optimize spend and content with AI. The company’s culture is built for this shift: augmentation for every function, not just automation for a few.
“It’s clear the culture is absolutely right — and that’s what makes it work.”
⸻ Vincent Pirenne
3. AI literacy for all
AI skills aren’t optional at L’Oréal. From day one, the company invested in GenAI education for all, from executive teams down.
“We had GenAI training for all — mandatory from the start.”
Crucially, this learning is continuous, not a one-off workshop. L’Oréal’s ‘Learning for Development’ department leads ongoing upskilling (not “training”), and executives are expected to lead by example–by embracing these new ways of working. This cultural alignment–not just tooling–is considered a key enabler of AI success at L’Oréal.
What sets L’Oréal apart
L’Oréal’s approach is a masterclass in embedding AI across an organization without creating chaos.
↳Clear governance,
↳strong ethical boundaries,
↳and a focus on real augmentation, not hype.
For any enterprise leader wondering how to get started: start with your people. Then give them the tools, training, and trust to explore what’s possible.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation with Beatrice on the AI Insiders podcast.
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