Aug 31, 2018
Marc Bookman, founder and CEO of Opu Labs (opu.ai), delivers an overview of how technology and AI can assist people with their skin health. Bookman’s company, Opu Labs is the proprietary creator of the Pocket Skin Clinic, a skin care analysis service that uses smartphone selfies and artificial intelligence to deliver important and informative skincare advice. Pocket Skin Clinic can provide input on ways to improve skin conditions with specific skincare product types recommendations. The platform works by utilizing facial recognition technology to capture unique scans of one’s face on a daily basis. Opu Labs’ specialized machine-learning-based artificial intelligence can then perform a complete analysis of skin type, condition, coloring, and more, to deliver a comprehensive report with recommendations. Pocket Skin Clinic tailors products and ingredients to someone’s individual skin condition, essentially, recommendations for the specific person, not a blanket recommendation that applies to millions. By providing targeted and specific information, Pocket Skin Clinic users can take steps to improve their skin problems, enhance their skin’s vibrance, and begin a regimen that will provide for healthier skin.
Bookman reminisces about his early days of market testing, and the dawn of online and mobile device advertising, and as his research led him to look at hair products, automotive, and others, it was skincare that really had the most amazing numbers, in terms of the advertising potential. Today, with over 60,000 skincare products listed on Amazon, Bookman states that it is easy to see why many people become overwhelmed when searching for the skincare product that may work for them specifically. From ‘no parabens’ to ‘organic’ and ‘all natural’ to allergy issues and beyond, people have very specific needs and Bookman’s team seeks to address these needs by using their tech to narrow the focus for folks who want products that work, but cause no harm. Bookman discusses the difficulty in discerning whether skincare blogs offer real scientific and user-based information or simply product-promoting information. And in this area, Opu Labs mines extensive amounts of product information and data and ranks it so their users can access the most current, most relevant and real information that pertains to their skincare issue.
Bookman discusses their target market, which is essentially, based upon his estimations, about one third of the overall skincare market. He states that younger consumers, mostly women, who are just getting into the market and trying to learn about products that can help them, are a group Opu Labs’ research and analysis can benefit. Additionally, consumers who take a serious approach to skin health in much the same manner as fitness enthusiasts do with cardiovascular health, are another prime group Bookman seeks to assist. Additionally, Bookman describes other groups that Opu Labs can offer skincare assistance to, in terms of research and information, such as pregnant mothers who are pressed for time and may choose to travel less than normal, and rural users who may not find product lines and stores, etc. to be easily accessible. As technology evolves, Opu Labs intends to stay on top of the advances in order to continually improve the information and product advice they bring their users.