---
title: "An IBM AI Invented Perfumes That’ll Soon Sell in 4,000 Stores"
description: "Two AI-invented perfumes will soon go on sale in about 4,000 locations in Brazil, a startling creative achievement for an IBM algorithm."
date: "2018-10-24"
modified: "2018-10-24"
authors:
  - name: "Jon Christian"
    job_title: "Executive Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/ai-invented-perfumes-ibm"
categories:
  - "Artificial Intelligence"
tags:
  - "ibm"
  - "philyra"
  - "the digest"
  - "watson"
---

# An IBM AI Invented Perfumes That’ll Soon Sell in 4,000 Stores

![Default Futurism featured image](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Futurism-Filler-Image.jpg>)

## Eau de AI

We already knew that IBM's artificial intelligence (AI) Watson was a "[Jeopardy" champion](<https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/science/17jeopardy-watson.html>) that dabbled in [cancer diagnosis](<https://futurism.com/ibms-watson-ai-recommends-same-treatment-as-doctors-in-99-of-cancer-cases>) and [life insurance](<https://futurism.com/life-insurance-company-is-replacing-human-employees-with-ai>).

Now, according to a [new story in *Vox*](<https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/24/18019918/ibm-artificial-intelligence-perfume-symrise-philyra>), a cousin of Watson has accomplished an even finer task: creating perfumes. Soon, these AI-invented perfumes will go on sale in about 4,000 locations in Brazil.

## Smell Curve

Fragrances have traditionally been created by [sought-after perfumers](<https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/dec/12/how-become-perfumer>). But Symrise, a German fragrance company with clients including Avon and Coty, recently struck a deal with IBM to see how its AI tools could be used to modernize the process.

IBM created an algorithm — its name is Philyra, [according to *Datanami*](<https://www.datanami.com/2018/10/23/the-scent-of-an-ai/>) — that studies fragrance formulas and customer data, then spits out new perfumes inspired by those training materials.

## Nose Warmer

The first result**s** of the collaboration are two scents, and the AI-invented perfumes will soon go on sale at O Boticário, a prominent Brazilian beauty chain. Spokespeople declined to confirm to *Vox* precisely which fragrances were invented by the AI.

It's a sure sign, though, that AI creations are starting to leak out into the world of consumer products — and next time you sniff a sampler, it's possible that it wasn't formulated by a human at all.

**READ MORE**: [Is AI the Future of Perfume? IBM Is Betting on It](<https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/24/18019918/ibm-artificial-intelligence-perfume-symrise-philyra>) \[*Vox*\]

***More on IBM AI: [IBM’s New AI Can Predict Psychosis in Your Speech](<https://futurism.com/ibm-psychosis-predicting-ai-speech>)***

## Author
I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/jonchristian.net>)