Rudy Lai
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AI @ Unilever

Consumer staples (Dove, Hellmanns, Persil)
Industry
Last updated
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Summary

  • Unilever has progressively integrated AI technologies across several core domains from 2023 through 2025, including supply chain optimization, R&D acceleration, marketing content creation, and personalized consumer experiences, with emphasis on sustainability and innovation.
  • The company actively deploys advanced AI tools such as digital twins, generative AI for marketing content, and conversational AI for consumer insights, supported by new AI labs and partnerships (e.g., with Accenture and Vector Institute), achieving faster product development cycles, cost reduction in marketing, and enhanced consumer responsiveness.
  • Leadership figures like Steve McCrystal (Chief Enterprise and Technology Officer) and Esi Eggleston Bracey (Chief Growth and Marketing Officer) have emphasized AI’s role in scaling influencer marketing, increasing efficiency, and driving growth, while ethics and responsible AI deployment remain an integral part of Unilever's strategy.

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6 AI Use Cases at Unilever

Consumer Insights
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Unilever applies conversational AI and social listening tools to analyze consumer feedback and social data in multiple languages, generating real-time insights that inform demand forecasting, product validation, and marketing strategies. [1][2]
Influencer Marketing
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
Unilever leverages AI platforms with generative models to scale influencer marketing networks, create credible campaigns, and increase organic engagement and growth for brands such as Dove, improving return on marketing investment. [1]
Talent Acquisition
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Risk
AI solutions support recruitment by attracting, analyzing, and selecting optimal candidates for thousands of roles, enhancing hiring efficiency and workforce quality. [1]
Marketing Content
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
Using generative AI and digital twins, Unilever creates marketing content—including high-quality product images and social-first campaigns—faster and at lower cost, enabling rapid response to trends and enhancing consumer engagement. [1][2][3][4]
Product Innovation
2023
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
AI accelerates Unilever's research and development by analyzing biological data and using machine learning models to design and optimize new products faster with improved performance and sustainability profiles. [1][2][3]
Supply Chain
2023
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
Unilever uses AI to optimize supply chain operations by improving inventory management, reducing waste, and responding dynamically to changing conditions such as weather patterns and demand fluctuations, enhancing sustainability and efficiency. [1][2][3]

Timeline

2025 Q4: no updates

2025 Q3

3 updates

Unilever drives AI strategy with scalable influencer marketing using generative AI content platforms, expands AI-powered social listening, develops AI-driven content creation team 'Sketch Pro', and implements digital twins to reduce cost and deliver faster social-first marketing campaigns.

2025 Q2

1 updates

Pilot program utilizes AI and IoT to optimize liquid technology systems for food cleaning, enhancing supply chain innovation and product quality control.

2025 Q1

4 updates

AI drives faster, cost-effective marketing content creation with digital twins; accelerates personal care innovation; enhances supply chain responsiveness for ice cream products; strategic partnerships deepen AI adoption.

2024 Q4: no updates

2024 Q3

3 updates

AI revolutionizes R&D, supply chain digitization, and marketing; partnership with Accenture to drive generative AI efficiency; focus on sustainability and innovation across the business.

2024 Q2

2 updates

AI enables ultra-personalized consumer experiences in beauty brands and assists in assessing product shelf life and manufacturing performance.

2024 Q1

1 updates

Use of AI and digital solutions expands in Unilever's operations including customer experience enhancement and blockchain trials for sustainability.

2023 Q4

2 updates

Unilever establishes AI ethics processes to address risk and opens an AI lab in Toronto to foster innovation and collaboration with global talent.

2023 Q3

2 updates

Focus on integrating AI into supply chain for sustainability and efficiency; leveraging AI and big data biology to optimize food portfolio and accelerate product development.

2023 Q2

1 updates

Unilever begins harnessing AI and digital tools to enhance scientific discovery, design processes, and supply chain resilience.