Unilever has unveiled a new AI lab, aimed at enhancing innovation, technology, and collaboration within the company. The lab, established by Unilever’s global operations data and analytics team, operates on a hybrid model that encourages collaboration between Unilever employees, academics, start-ups, and industry leaders on diverse AI research projects.
According to Andy Hill, Unilever’s chief data officer, “Unilever is making a significant investment in developing and deploying AI technology across the business. The launch of Unilever’s first AI lab will expedite the progress we are making globally and enable us to have the right focus on some of the big questions we want to answer with AI.”
The lab’s initial focus is on three areas with the greatest potential for immediate impact: forecasting, modeling complex data relationships with graph technology, and generating insights on trends, patterns, and predictions through generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI).
Gary Bogdani, Unilever’s head of data science for North America and Canada D&A, explained the potential impact of Gen AI, stating that it “has already been used in a variety of ways at Unilever. However, continuous advancement in technology means that its impact is now both growing and diversifying.”
In addition to AI technology, the lab will also rely on human intelligence and ingenuity to create solutions that drive meaningful impact. Bogdani emphasized, “Our vision is to build an ecosystem where diverse minds come together, forging partnerships with industry leaders, start-ups, academia and visionaries worldwide to co-create solutions that make a profound impact.”
