Paris – Vivatech came under the spotlight a day after French President Emmanuel Macron announced 400 million euros in public investment in artificial intelligence research and training.
Generative AI was the winning technology on the main stage, with Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, presenting it with the LVMH Innovation Award Grand Prix.
This year's winner was FancyTech, a China-based company specializing in 3D modeling and generative AI content creation, especially for video.
“This award once again recognizes startups that deliver technological development with outstanding service. We are confident that their expertise will align with our Maison’s ambitions and keep us ahead of our customers’ expectations.” declared Mr. Arnault.
The industry giant said the award was “a unique opportunity to work with the Maison and contribute to the transformation of the luxury sector.”
“We are at the dawn of a transformational era. With the advent of GenAI, the use of artificial intelligence will also require human imagination. The convergence of mind and technology will bring 3D product modeling and creative briefs to generative models. We will be able to generate videos through artificial intelligence,” declared Morgan Mao, co-founder of FancyTech.
Frank Le Mole, Group IT and Technology Director at LVMH, said: “The winners of the LVMH Innovation Award were selected from a record 1,545 entries from 89 countries, up from 1,320 last year. ''
FancyTech also won the Immersive Digital Experience award.
The 18 finalists were divided into six groups. Image and media related to brand favorability. Omnichannel and retail. sustainability and green technology. Outstanding operation. Immersive Digital Experience, Employee Experience, Diversity and Inclusion – Winners will be selected in each category.
Other projects recognized include Ircam Amplify, which specializes in sound design and immersive installations; Aectual, which uses AI to produce 3D printed stores and architectural finishes using recycled materials that can be reused in circular loops; Glanceable, which centralizes and analyzes real-time customer feedback and provides insights, and Authena, which strengthens supply chain integrity by detecting counterfeit and product diversion using the Internet of Things and AI. , and Heralbony, an art licensing agency specializing in unique stories by artists with disabilities.
GenAI, a sketch-to-design company, and BLNG, a virtual jewellery studio, also received special recognition.
This year's winners walked away with trophies designed by Dior's visual merchandising team under the supervision of Luca Albero, Creative Visual Merchandising Director for Christian Dior Couture.
With the help of in-house GenAI tools, the design team used VivaTech's logo and LVMH's booth concept, The Dream Garden, as a starting point, Albero said.
Made from hand-blown Murano glass, the grand prize was presented in a custom-made Louis Vuitton trunk.
LVMH Innovation Award Grand Prix Trophy.
courtesy
Commenting on the evolution of the award since its inception in 2017, Le Moal said that fewer early-stage start-ups are applying.
“They understand that the purpose of the LVMH Innovation Award is not to raise profile for a few startups. We are not going to fund them. We're going to develop them at Startups, but we don't just want to develop them, we want these startups to work with our brands,” he said.
“When we select a startup company, our goal is to partner with at least seven to 10 of our brands so that the company can grow and develop,” he added.
Le Mole said recent success stories include 2021 winner Banbuzzer, a startup specializing in livestream shopping, whose customers include Tiffany & Co. and 2022 winner Last Mile. It is said that Toshi, a high-class partner, will be included.
At the LVMH booth, everything from Sephora's look analysis and makeup recommendation tool sold in China to Guerlain's olfactory landscape created with GenAI to a virtual reality simulator that trains new employees how to cut cognac grapes. Innovations from multiple brands were on display, from Hennessy's Ampelos.
The luxury group, a premium partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, will display medals created by Chaumet, the Vuitton trunk in which they will be stored, the Berluti uniform worn by the French team at the opening ceremony, and the cabin will be an immersive space. We provided a space full of emotion. Experience what will happen in Paris in 2024.
The generative capabilities of AI and its place in the creative value chain were some of the most talked about topics at the Technology Showcase.
Gonzague de Pillay, LVMH's chief omnichannel and data officer, said the trophy reflects LVMH's ambition to be a pioneer in the responsible use of AI. “It is clear that this tool is becoming very important and powerful, so it was very important for us to establish principles for the use of AI and GenAI,” he said.
“They are there to support different people within the organisation, not to replace them,” de Pillay stressed.
“With generative AI, we believe we have a tool that can assist our designers throughout the creative process, whether it’s a moment of inspiration on a mood board or when creating a product, without compromising the creative talent of our designers. For example, converting a drawing into a 3D object,” he added.
LVMH has developed its own chatbot, MaIA, based on OpenAI's GPT-4 infrastructure model, and recently launched a Prompt Academy to teach staff, including salespeople, how to use the new tool. The company aims to train about 1,500 employees in how to use AI in 2023 and increase this to 10,000 over the next few years, Le Moal said.
The group collaborates on research projects with Stanford University's Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, focusing on areas such as AI safety and human-centered design.
Elsewhere at the show, L'Oreal was among the companies unveiling its latest beauty tech innovations, including a realistic human skin-like technology platform for scientific research and product testing, and a GenAI beauty content lab called Creaitech, which aims to empower creativity.
These will be supplemented by a GenAI-powered personal beauty assistant, a cutting-edge skin and hair diagnostics portfolio, a hair dryer based on infrared technology, and more.
Imki, a French creative augmented AI solutions provider, collaborated with Turkish textile manufacturer Kipaş Textiles and denim manufacturer Taypa to showcase a denim capsule that was conceived in 21 days from idea to finished product.
Another highlight of the technology event was the five-year strategic partnership between LVMH and Alibaba Group, as part of the goal to provide a cutting-edge retail experience in China and keep pace with the country's evolving data laws. It has been expanded.
This comes as France seeks to strengthen its position in technology, particularly in the field of AI. After the annual foreign investment summit “Choose France” held in Versailles on May 13, investments by technology giants were in the spotlight.
Amazon announced it will invest €1.2 billion to strengthen its logistics network and build an AI-focused data center, creating around 3,000 jobs, while Microsoft plans to expand its existing data centers in India to two It has pledged to spend 4 billion euros to expand its locations and build a third location.
