The Vogue Business AI Tracker keeps a record of the most important AI developments that will influence our industry and our world, each week. From venture capital investments and startup launches to product drops and regulatory updates, we’ll make sure you never miss a beat when it comes to the AI news that matters.
Mar 24, 2026
The news: L’Oréal and Nvidia expand AI partnership for beauty R&D.
Why it matters: L’Oréal and Nvidia’s are expanding their existing partnership, which aims to help the former discover and develop beauty and skincare formulations faster, via a new shared AI model. The partnership currently focuses on two areas of skin science: photoprotection and skin tone management. L’Oréal has a huge number of data points on skin and hair biology, as well as 4,000 in-house scientists. Nvidia’s Alchemi AI engine enables the beauty group to identify and hone more precise beauty formulations in a digital environment, before testing them in a physical lab. It offers the latest example of how the science-led beauty industry is using AI to make product R&D more efficient.
“By applying AI-powered molecular simulation to our most proprietary actives, we are bridging atomic-scale discovery with real-world consumer benefit — accelerating the development of more effective, more sensorial, and accessible products,” said L’Oréal Group deputy CEO Barbara Lavernos.
The news: Kering appoints Pierre Houlès as chief digital, AI and IT officer.
Why it matters: It’s a strategic hire for Kering, whose CEO (and former Renault boss) Luca de Meo said in January that he is bullish on the potential of AI to enhance group efficiencies, and that the luxury industry has much to learn about technology from other industries like automotive. It’s also the latest large luxury company to hire a CAIO (chief AI officer) to spearhead its data transformation and AI strategy, as the industry plays catch-up.
Mar 17, 2026
The news: Catches, a new virtual try-on startup backed by Nvidia and Antoine Arnault, launches with Amiri.
Why it matters: It’s another entry into the increasingly crowded AI virtual try-on startup space, but this one stands out for its impressive investor backing, its luxury brand integration upon launch, and the quality of its visuals. Catches is building both an app and white-label infrastructure for brands to offer virtual try-on in their online stores. It launched its generative AI sizing tech tool, “RealFit”, at Nvidia’s Global AI conference GTC on Monday, which the startup says provides a “digital mirror” for shoppers that provides “real sizing, fit and drape for fashion e-commerce”. It went live at launch with LA-born luxury label Amiri, which now gives customers the option to “Try on Me” with certain products on its DTC e-commerce site, by uploading their weight, measurements, age and ethnicity, alongside a selfie, for a video-animated photorealistic try-on.
Catches says it’s currently working with “a number of other brands”, scheduled to launch in the next few months. And if its investors are anything to go by, that could include more luxury brands: Catches has raised $10 million from investors including LVMH’s Antoine Arnault, model-turned-investor Natalia Vodianova, former Tommy Hilfiger CEO Gary Sheinbaum and Sarah Willersdorf, former head of luxury for BCG.
Catches say what differentiates the images is its tech: a combination of its own custom-built generative AI and diffusion models, with Nvidia’s “Omniverse” technology, a model that uses a physics simulation model to mimic how things behave in the real world, so that industries like fashion can build 3D virtual worlds and simulations.
The news: Google scraps AI feature that crowdsources medical advice.
Why it matters: Google has removed its “What People Suggest” feature, which aimed to provide medical advice from people around the world living with similar medical conditions. Google told The Guardian it removed this feature in a bid to simplify its search page, but it also comes as AI platforms face growing scrutiny over the risks of misinformation and liability when offering health-related guidance.
