Ex-Googler's start-up is teaching AI how to smell
Imagine a world where scent can be digitized and stored. This futuristic concept is becoming a reality thanks to Osmo, a pioneering start-up led by former Google researcher Alex Wiltschko, on a mission to digitize the human sense of smell. The company aims to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enable computers to "generate smells like we generate images and sounds," according to its website. Wiltschko's long-standing fascination with olfaction has been the driving force behind this innovative venture.
Osmo build the AI model from scratch
Unlike text data, a vast digital library of scents wasn't available to train an AI model. Existing fragrance datasets proved inadequate. So, researchers created their own data, collecting thousands of molecules and their corresponding scent descriptions. Using a type of machine learning called graph neural networks (GNNs), they taught the AI to link atomic structure with scent, understanding how atoms bond and influence odor.
AI can predict smells with 'superhuman' capabilities
During his time at Google Research, Wiltschko's team developed a "principal odor map" using machine learning. This involved training their AI model on a dataset of 5,000 aroma molecules across various odor categories such as floral, fruity, minty, and musky. The complexity of molecular structures presented challenges but advances in AI technology enabled the model to accurately predict odors based on these structures. "It was superhuman in its ability to predict what things smelled like," said Wiltschko.
Osmo's AI technology and its potential benefits
Wiltschko believes that digitizing scent could have significant implications for disease detection. "We've known that smell contains information we can use to detect disease. But computers can't speak that language and can't interpret that data yet," he said. In the short term, Osmo aims to create safer and more sustainable aroma molecules for everyday products such as perfumes, shampoos, insect repellants, and laundry detergents.
Wiltschko's academic journey and professional experience
Wiltschko's academic journey in the field of olfaction began with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from the University of Michigan. He further pursued his interest at Harvard University, earning a PhD in olfactory neuroscience in 2016. Initially conceived as a research project during Wiltschko's tenure at Google, Osmo was officially launched as an independent start-up in 2022. The launch was backed by Lux Capital and Google Ventures.
