Transforming e.l.f. Beauty with AI: A New Era of Empowerment
In the fast-paced world of beauty, e.l.f. Beauty is making waves with its innovative approach to technology. At the helm of this change is Ekta Chopra, the company’s Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO). She recently revealed that e.l.f. Beauty is exploring a whopping 85 different use cases for what’s known as agentic artificial intelligence, or AI that acts on its own. But here’s the interesting part: these advancements aren’t just another tech project imposed from above; Chopra emphasizes that they’re about empowering people across the organization.
Empowering Employees with AI
“Giving these tools to our employees isn’t about a mandate from IT. It’s about putting power in the hands of our people,” Chopra said. To that end, she established a cross-functional AI steering committee composed of leaders from various departments, such as legal, marketing, and research. This committee drives the AI initiatives, aiming to have most of their pilot programs fully operational in just six months. Employees who are eager to use these tools—referred to as “power users”—are testing these systems during the pilot phase.
As the CDIO, Chopra passionately supports the integration of generative AI throughout the company. This technology helps employees tackle tasks like research inquiries, IT requests, and data analytics more efficiently.
Security Comes First
Chopra has also ensured that while employees embrace these advanced AI tools, it’s done securely. She refers to their “pipes”—the essential frameworks that guide the proper use of AI in the company. This includes training the organization’s data within a large language model on Amazon Web Services and selecting partners like Microsoft Copilot and Writer to aid in creating these AI agents.
Growth Through AI
e.l.f. Beauty is not just growing rapidly domestically; it was also ranked No. 3 on Fortune’s list of fastest-growing companies in 2024. They’ve enjoyed 26 consecutive quarters of net sales growth, and Chopra sees generative AI as a crucial pillar for future success. Her investments are focused on three key areas:
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Operative AI: This is centered on enhancing workflows using agentic AI.
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Creative AI: Here, they explore image generation tools to accelerate the creation of marketing assets, particularly important as they expand into global markets with diverse languages.
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Collaborative AI: This involves brainstorming and implementing innovative ideas that could redefine how e.l.f. Beauty develops products or manages its supply chain.
Practical AI Applications
Some of the generative AI applications already in use include “B.F.e.l.f,” a personalized version of ChatGPT employed by 80% of employees. Another tool called “e.l.f.uencer” creates content to respond to consumer comments on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Remarkably, the AI-generated drafts are always approved by a human before going live. This has allowed e.l.f. Beauty to boost its engagement rate: now, about 90% of social media comments are answered, up from just 50% before.
Chopra also introduced “e.l.f.line,” a helpful IT sidekick that performs tasks equivalent to a human help desk employee, addressing common tech issues effortlessly. Additionally, “e.l.f.phabet” serves as a research tool, while “e.l.f.alytics” assists in data analysis, providing contextually relevant responses based on user roles.
Embracing a Culture of Learning
In an age where knowledge gaps can hinder tech adoption, Chopra is keen on fostering a culture of learning. The portal “e.l.f. you!” provides employees with insights about topics like agentic AI and large language models, helping them engage more effectively with this technology. Chopra is mindful that everyone has a different learning curve and emphasizes the importance of context in AI: “The average Google search is three to four words long, whereas with AI tools, it’s approximately 23 words. If you don’t give AI the right context, you’re unlikely to get the answer you want.”
Big IT Changes Ahead
Despite the innovations in AI, Chopra is also relieved to have rolled out a significant IT upgrade—from NetSuite to SAP’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This transition is crucial for supporting international growth and adopting new AI tools that can automate repetitive tasks, ultimately boosting productivity.
“It’s not all about cutting costs; it’s about enhancing productivity,” she said. “We aim to create a culture that embraces AI, so employees feel empowered rather than intimidated by it.”
Conclusion
Through Ekta Chopra’s leadership, e.l.f. Beauty is not just adopting technology; it’s redefining how beauty brands operate in a digital age. Their commitment to empowering employees with AI tools showcases a forward-thinking approach that could serve as a model for other companies. As the beauty industry evolves, e.l.f. Beauty is ready to lead the way by blending creativity with cutting-edge technology.
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Original Text – https://fortune.com/2025/09/10/e-l-f-beautys-cdio-says-shes-responsible-for-ais-foundation-but-that-these-tools-arent-an-it-mandate/