AI may be one of the year’s top buzzwords, but in the beauty industry, it’s a necessity. Ulta Beauty, the 1,355-unit cosmetics chain, has been dabbling in such digital experimentation for a while as it seeks to connect with customers and offer the best recommendations for products.
Innovation is a chief priority for Michelle Crossan-Matos, a former Samsung executive who joined Ulta earlier this year as chief marketing officer.
“I always have an innovation section and the innovation section is, what are we doing that’s different and how are we going to make our consumers’ lives better as a result of that innovation?” said Crossan-Matos, speaking at Ad Age’s Media Summit in New York last week. She added that, “Everyone’s like ‘Oh, I’m so AI-ed out,’ but the reality is, AI is really important in beauty care.”