Pond's reveals AI-powered skincare bot

It embraces Google's natural language processing and BrighTex BioPhotonics’s (BTBP) DeepTag skin diagnosis technology to offer consumers skin diagnoses through an intuitive and fun chat. According to the beauty brand, BTBP’s DeepTag technology – a patented skin map technology from Silicon Valley – and clinical research data from The Pond’s Institute will be used to deliver skin diagnoses of "a higher consistency match rate compared to dermatologists".

Using their customised diagnosis from SAL, combined with product recommendations from Pond's, consumers are able to select a personal skincare product and regime recommendation to help meet their particular skincare needs. SAL is available in South Africa via Facebook Messenger.

To use the bot, consumers will need to click on the SAL link, upload a selfie, complete a short quiz and your customised results will be ready in under a minute. Skin is analysed by BTBP DeepTag’s AI technology and results are classified across four indicators of skin health: uneven skin tone, spots, pimples and wrinkles.

“We recognise how confusing and overwhelming it can be for anyone to pick the right skincare products when there are so many choices," says Kavisha Vather, senior brand manager face care, Unilever SA. “We want to use technology to solve this problem, by helping consumers gain a deeper understanding of their skin type and matching them with the most effective products. With SAL, consumers can build and optimise their skincare regime – via Facebook – through this science-based, data-led skin diagnostic tool."