In 2025, conceptual fragrance brand Neandertal launched an unprecedented olfactory duo of perfumes, is™ and was™. Both stem from the same initial brief; however, one was created using Phylira, the most advanced artificial intelligence technology in perfumery, while the other was created by a team of master perfumers. Although AI has previously been used as an assisting tool in perfumery, there has been no prior example where the final formula has been creatively constructed almost entirely by AI.

Neandertal raises fundamental questions around human and AI creativity, the future of our species and our evolving relationship with synthetic life, which are key concerns of our zeitgeist. To fully engage audiences in this discourse, Neandertal does not disclose which of the two scents was made by AI and which by humans.

was™ is the richer, deeper scent in the duo, developing on the skin with complexity: it opens with warm, woody and spicy notes, then unfolds into an unexpected softness of florals. This intricacy is driven by a novel molecule, Diviniris, that juxtaposes the familiar textures of iris and wood. The scent settles into a smooth blend of amber and clove, lifted by the bitter freshness of geranium and yerba mate.