Skincare and AI: Navigating Innovation with Integrity

At DECIEM, we believe in science, transparency, and better decisions - whether we’re talking about peptides or processors. The beauty industry is changing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the forces accelerating that shift.

From personalized skin diagnostics to product formulation and ingredient sourcing, AI has found its way into many corners of skincare. But as with any emerging technology, it prompts important questions. What role should AI play in the development of skin care products, its entire supply chain, and how do we incorporate new technology while staying true to our values of transparency, integrity, and science?

Let’s unpack the intersection of skincare and AI, what it means for the future of formulation, and how we’re approaching this space thoughtfully, responsibly, and with a human-first mindset.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of a computer system to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence. This can include understanding language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, making predictions, and even generating creative ideas.

At its core, AI works by processing large amounts of data through algorithms - sets of rules or instructions - that allow the system to “learn” from examples rather than being explicitly programmed for every scenario. The more relevant, high-quality data that has been prompted into the system, the better it becomes at spotting patterns and making accurate decisions.

AI in skincare isn’t one single thing - it’s a web of capabilities that can be used across multiple touchpoints, including:

1. Skin Analysis and Personalization

• AI tools are increasingly used to analyze user-submitted selfies or questionnaires to suggest skincare routines.
• Some apps use machine learning to detect signs of dryness, fine lines, or dark spots and track changes over time.

These tools can democratize access to skin education, especially for individuals who don’t have easy access to dermatologists.

Personalization is powerful - but it should never override education. AI can guide, but it shouldn’t replace your own relationship with your skin.

2. Product Formulation and Ingredient Research and Development

• Algorithms are being used to sift through studies, patents, and clinical data to identify potential ingredient combinations.
• Predictive modelling can forecast the likely performance of certain ingredients and formulations, or potential adverse events.
• Suppliers are leveraging AI to design novel ingredients - either by analyzing the full composition of botanical extracts to pinpoint active molecules, or by generating new peptides informed by existing knowledge of biological pathways.

3. Supply Chain Optimization

• AI can support smarter inventory management, reducing product waste and overproduction.

It can also be applied to ingredient sourcing, predicting crop yields or monitoring climate risks that affect natural ingredient availability.

Used thoughtfully, AI can support skincare innovation .

Better, Faster Research

AI can process thousands of scientific papers in minutes, sometimes even seconds, - something that would take a human team weeks or months. This helps accelerate the identification of promising ingredients or technologies for future products. But human interpretation, critical thinking, and testing remain irreplaceable.

Waste Reduction

• Smart forecasting can reduce batch overruns and expired stock.

• Predictive maintenance in manufacturing helps minimize energy and resource waste.

As an organization committed to exploring new ways to reduce our environmental impact, AI may offer additional tools to sharpen that focus.

Accessibility and Skin Literacy

AI-powered tools can provide tailored educational insights, supporting individuals in learning more about their skin’s unique needs. These tools may also help make skincare knowledge more widely available across diverse skin tones and in regions where in-person expertise may be less accessible.

But AI, like any technology, is only as good as the intent and data behind it. The following are some important factors that should be considered to ensure AI in skincare is effective, ethical, and inclusive.

Bias in Data

Many AI skin tools have historically been trained on limited datasets, which can skew analysis toward lighter or only a certain segment of skin tones that have been published in literature.

Transparency & Control

Consumers deserve to know when AI is being used to influence their experience - whether it’s in product suggestions or formulations.

Environmental Impact of AI

The computational power required to train and operate large AI models is energy-intensive and carries its own carbon footprint. Like video streaming or cloud computing, each AI query consumes energy, and the environmental impact depends largely on the energy sources powering the data centers where that computation occurs.

For users in Canada, AI tools such as Google’s Gemini are typically routed through Google Cloud data centers located in Toronto or Montréal. These regions are supported by one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world, largely powered by low-carbon hydro and nuclear energy. Operating AI systems within these regions can reduce the carbon footprint per query by an estimated 10× to 200× compared to average U.S. or global facilities - even before factoring in Google’s renewable energy initiatives.

While DECIEM’s AI tools most likely run through these Canadian data centers, we recognize that workloads can shift to other centers based on capacity and network conditions. Gaining transparency from AI providers around data center locations and energy sourcing remains an important next step in understanding the full environmental impact of our digital operations.

We’re not racing to “AI-ify” skincare for the sake of trend or tech headlines. Our focus is on science that works, products that serve a purpose, and decisions that hold up to scrutiny - human or otherwise.

Every AI initiative at DECIEM is led by humans, not robots. Humans still decide which questions to ask, how to test hypotheses, and how to validate findings in the real world.

AI doesn’t replace scientific integrity. It supports it.

At DECIEM, our love for science has never meant losing sight of the people and planet it’s meant to serve.

We remain committed to:

• Responsible experimentation
• Transparent communication
• Sustainable development goals

Whether we’re exploring new peptides or new technologies, these values guide every step.

AI may help us do more. But it will never define who we are.

We’ll continue to share openly about how and why we use AI at DECIEM - because integrity means telling the whole story, even when it’s evolving.

Your skin deserves real science. And real science deserves real responsibility.

References:

https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/regions-zones

https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/infrastructure/google-cloud-toronto-region-now-open

https://blog.google/intl/en-ca/products/cloud/google-announces-canada-region-for/

https://www.iea.org/commentaries/the-carbon-footprint-of-streaming-video-fact-checking-the-headlines