Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the transformation of the "Interesting Youth" initiative by L'Oréal China into a future-oriented empowerment platform, focusing on the intersection of technology and beauty, particularly through the lens of AI innovation [2][19][22]. Group 1: Initiative Overview - L'Oréal China's "Interesting Youth" project, which has been ongoing for 22 years, is being upgraded to a platform that empowers young people to participate in defining beauty [2][19]. - The "Tech for Good" theme of the "Tech Big Fun" hackathon aims to leverage AI capabilities to redefine beauty [5][15]. - The hackathon is the first of its kind in China's beauty industry, targeting AI-related innovation talents and blending creativity with technical skills [2][5]. Group 2: Hackathon Details - The hackathon culminated in a final event in Shanghai, where six AI creative teams presented their projects, showcasing their understanding of beauty and technology [5][6]. - The winning project, "Smart Guarding Beauty," developed a multi-agent system for risk assessment and compliance in new product development [10]. - Other notable projects included an AI skincare advisor and a data analysis tool for beauty industry operations, reflecting a diverse range of technological applications [11][12]. Group 3: Youth Empowerment and Engagement - The initiative aims to dismantle biases around beauty, asserting that everyone has the right to participate in defining it [12][20]. - L'Oréal's approach has evolved from merely providing assistance to empowering youth to take control and express their creativity [18][23]. - The platform encourages a culture of experimentation and acceptance of failure, allowing young people to explore their ideas without rigid standards [23][24]. Group 4: Broader Implications - The "Essentiality of Beauty" project aims to redefine beauty as a multidimensional value that encompasses culture, technology, and responsibility [25]. - The hackathon serves as a practical demonstration of this new understanding of beauty, integrating emotional and rational elements through technology [27]. - L'Oréal's strategy reflects a shift from a consumer-centric model to one that fosters co-creation and deeper understanding of beauty among the younger generation [24][27].

Group 1 - The global cosmetics industry is facing significant challenges due to economic downturns and tariff impacts, leading to layoffs across various companies [2][16][18] - New beauty brands are emerging as companies from different sectors, such as alcohol and eyewear, are entering the cosmetics market [8][10] - Major international beauty companies are undergoing executive changes to adapt to the current market conditions [4][22][26] Group 2 - LG has acquired the beauty device brand LG Prael to enhance its competitiveness in the beauty equipment market, which is projected to grow from approximately $14 billion in 2022 to $90 billion by 2030 [3][6] - The beauty device market is becoming increasingly competitive, with LG aiming to integrate cosmetic research and development into its beauty technology [6][7] - The demand for home beauty devices is expected to rise as the global home beauty market expands [8] Group 3 - Kenvue announced layoffs affecting 69 positions at its global headquarters in New Jersey, citing operational adjustments [16] - Yves Rocher's brand Sabon plans to close its manufacturing facility and logistics center in Israel, resulting in approximately 270 job losses [18][20] - The closure of overseas flagship stores by brands like Innisfree is part of a strategy to streamline resources and improve consumer service [31][35] Group 4 - Parisian brand L'Oréal has launched an AI-driven digital assistant, Beauty Genius, to provide personalized beauty recommendations through WhatsApp [13][15] - The AI tool has already conducted over 480,000 conversations since its testing phase began [15] - The integration of AI in beauty services is expected to become a broader industry trend [15]