Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the renowned luxury conglomerate, is navigating the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) with a unique approach: rather than replacing human workers, AI is positioned to complement and enhance their expertise.

Axel de Goursac, director of AI Factory at LVMH, emphasized this perspective during his speech at Viva Tech Paris 2024, stating, "We don’t want to replace but augment humans with artificial intelligence." This stance underscores the conglomerate's commitment to leveraging AI as a tool to empower its workforce, rather than rendering it obsolete.

In an industry deeply rooted in human creativity, LVMH emphasizes that AI will not overshadow the essential role of human ingenuity. Goursac highlighted that while AI can play a significant role in the creative process, it ultimately acts as a complement to human creativity, rather than a substitute. This perspective offers reassurance to employees concerned about the potential implications of AI automation.

One of the key applications of AI at LVMH lies in expediting and streamlining the product development process. Generative AI algorithms are utilized to enhance creativity, accelerate innovation, and reduce costs associated with bringing new luxury products to market. This approach demonstrates LVMH's commitment to embracing technological advancements while preserving the essence of human craftsmanship and artistry.

This forward-thinking approach to AI aligns with the broader industry sentiment, as evidenced by remarks from Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu. Li expressed optimism about the potential of artificial general intelligence (AGI) to address societal challenges, emphasizing its ability to enhance productivity and improve lives on a global scale.

Meanwhile, LVMH has been actively investing in its internal AI capabilities, culminating in the launch of MaIA, an AI chatbot designed for exclusive use by LVMH employees. Developed in collaboration with Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, MaIA incorporates privacy-preserving features and is based on OpenAI’s advanced GPT-4 model. This initiative reflects LVMH's commitment to fostering AI literacy and empowering its workforce with cutting-edge tools and technologies.

As the luxury conglomerate continues to integrate AI into its operations, it remains dedicated to upskilling its workforce in AI usage. With plans to train over 10,000 employees in AI education, LVMH is poised to harness the transformative potential of AI while preserving the invaluable contributions of human expertise in the luxury goods industry.