Asmita Dubey Is one of TIME's 2026 Executives of the Year: Tech and Data - Time Magazine

A former advertising executive and poet who also holds a degree in statistics, Asmita Dubey says AI requires a blend of "math and magic.” As L'Oréal's digital and marketing chief, she has incorporated technology in everything from how ads are made to how shoppers find products. "We must stay data-informed, not data-driven," she says. "The best ideas come from deep insights, which data can enhance, but there is a creative leap that comes from human empathy."

In 2025, Dubey led the expansion of CreAItech, L'Oréal's generative-AI content engine, which allows teams to create images and video at scale while preserving brand consistency. The point, she explains, is to expand human artistry, not automate it. "By keeping the human in control, we unlock entirely new forms of expression."

She has also drawn hard lines, committing never to use AI-generated lifelike faces or skin to sell products. "In the beauty industry, trust is everything," she says. "Consumers deserve provable, real-world efficacy rather than synthetic illusions."