Source: Fortune
Summary
L’Oréal’s Chief Innovation and Prospective Officer, Delphine Viguier-Hovasse, discusses how AI is benefiting the company’s innovation efforts. Despite the prevailing wisdom that AI democratizes innovation, Viguier-Hovasse believes that AI is particularly advantageous for established companies like L’Oréal, which has accumulated decades of knowledge and has the organizational structure to turn insights into innovations. The company’s matrix organization, cross-functional departments, and commitment to research and innovation enable it to innovate at pace.
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The numbers tell one story. L’Oréal’s 725 patents and sixth place on Fortune’s 2026 list of Europe’s Most Innovative Companies suggest a strong innovation track record. But Viguier-Hovasse’s comments reveal a more nuanced reality. “AI is fantastic for old companies,” she says, highlighting the benefits of accumulated knowledge and organizational structure. The company’s 3% investment in research and development, equivalent to €1.3 million in 2025, is a significant commitment to innovation.
L’Oréal’s approach to innovation is characterized by a focus on collaboration, experimentation, and trend detection. The company’s “seize the moment” philosophy, coined by its second CEO, François Dalle, guides its approach to innovation. Viguier-Hovasse’s role as innovation officer, now elevated to the executive committee, demonstrates the company’s commitment to innovation as a strategic priority.
The announcement sounds familiar. L’Oréal’s emphasis on leveraging AI to accelerate innovation and experimentation is not new, but Viguier-Hovasse’s comments highlight the company’s unique approach to innovation, which combines long-term investment, institutional memory, and the ability to learn.
One sentence that reframes the situation: “Legacy companies may be the biggest beneficiaries of the AI era, not startups.”
Author: Evan Null
