As artificial intelligence expands its reach to virtually every touchpoint in our modern society, this technology continually evolves to enhance the user experience. At the same time, A.I. has also raised significant concerns that include ethics, security, spread of misinformation and more.

Data privacy is a hot topic for both companies and consumers alike. Haut.AI CEO and co-founder Anastasia Georgievskaya recalled, “Five years ago, beauty apps were a complete novelty, and only a few big players were offering beauty tech in the form of skin analysis or a quiz. Today, beauty tech has been well-adopted, and many platforms require facial images or video.”

This is where Haut.AI’s new patented Skin Atlas steps in. A visual data-analysis representation and platform for processing an array of algorithms quickly, accurately and privately is one of Haut.AI’s most popular technologies. Georgievskaya explained, “The Skin Atlas system is an integral part of our A.I. skin assessment process. It was designed in a way that private data doesn’t ever leave the consumer device. Images are already clear of identifying data when they are sent to the cloud, so there’s no need to worry in the event of a breach.”

With degrees in bioinformatics and biophysics, Georgievskaya approaches biology through a mathematical lens. Armed with biotech experience and a fresh perspective, she and a group of “biotech enthusiasts” set their sights on the sub-biological data that could be gleaned from photos. “A picture is an excellent source of information,” Georgievskaya explained. “It’s abundant, easy to capture and everyone has a phone.”

Skin Atlas is driven by Haut.AI’s SkinGPT technology (launching publicly later this year), which allows users to visualize skincare results and can simulate the effects of skin care clinical trial results, environmental aging and more — and a variety of modules are available to tailor the technology for different channels. In continual development since 2021, SkinGPT can create highly detailed, photorealistic skin patterns and this capability has shaped the revolutionary Skin Atlas anonymization method.

Georgievskaya also highlights another issue facing the beauty industry. “With so many skin care products available, a consumer can get lost when shopping online. Why don’t we use methods that are used in the lab to help customers identify the products they should be using?”

Georgievskaya believes that showing perceivable results is key for fostering brand loyalty. “When customers start a proper skin care routine and can visualize the results with Skin Atlas, it motivates them to continue. We need to focus on parameters that can improve in a short period of time, so my favorite metrics are pigmentation, acne, redness and wrinkles because they have great engagement capability.” Skin Atlas can assess the effects at-home treatments such as LED masks and microcurrent devices as well.

On the brand side, anonymized data with zero risk of revealing private information about the end consumer dovetails to create additional benefits. For one, Skin Atlas allows beauty brands to focus on their core business by mitigating the risk of a potential data breach. In addition, this technology helps brands build better relationships with customers through transparency and trust that their data will only be used for its intended purpose.

“For retailers, it’s even more important to build long-term relationships with customers — especially because they want to try different brands. The retailer is ultimately the discovery point. They are also well positioned to implement new technology into their digital infrastructure, and many retailers want the best, most accurate and most secure cutting-edge technology,” said Georgievskaya.

With Haut.AI’s new powerful “professional modules,” there’s a place for A.I. skin analysis in the medical aesthetic skincare space as well. Georgievskaya explained, “We can now differentiate between different types of acne and whether discoloration is a mole or hyperpigmentation. And we can do it across all skin types, tones, and ethnicities.”

Georgievskaya shared that 90% of their clients came inbound. “Coming from a clinical background helped us in the beginning. We felt very comfortable having conversations with scientists from amazing companies with great R&D departments. We understood the challenge associated with performing accurate analysis outside the lab. From there, it’s been largely word of mouth.”

Haut A.I. declines to reveal early Skin Atlas adopters, but Georgievskaya excitedly shared the company’s next focus: Body skin. “Many people who once used two or three products are now using five, six or even more. No one is making strong claims, but we’re seeing ‘body retinol’ and ‘niacinamide for body’ trending on social media. I don’t think we are expecting enough from our body products.”

At the forefront of A.I. as we know it today, Georgievskaya has unique insight into what the future of the beauty industry may look like. “If you watch sci-fi movies, a person comes to some very high-tech mirror and chooses how they want to look. Once we decide the impact we want to achieve, we’ll see a range of products that produce this effect.”

Rather than shopping for specific products, Georgievskaya believes we’ll be shopping by desired outcome and filtering choices by brand story and values. “Skin care shopping may not exist as it does today, but instead we’ll be shopping for our unique lifestyle where skincare is just one component.”