Meet ‘Huey’ The Nail Polish Robot That Can Create Any Colour Using AI

If you’ve ever stood in the nail aisle frustrated by the lack of just right shades – too pink, too beige, too boring – allow us to introduce Huey, the robot set to revolutionise your manicure. Developed by Tennessee-based beauty tech start-up Blank Beauty, Huey uses artificial intelligence and robotics to create over 40,000 custom nail polish colours, all from a machine smaller than a coffee table.

Blank Beauty was founded in 2016 and is now making serious waves in the industry, thanks to a fresh investment led by US nail polish manufacturer Kirker Enterprises. They’re joined by venture capital firm Evolution VC Partners and Epson Robots, a global leader in factory automation. The funding marks a big step in bringing Blank’s smart colour tech to the masses.

MORE: 10 Best Beauty Podcasts to Listen to in 2025

DISCOVER: I Tried the World’s First AI-yurvedic Skin Scan: Here’s What Happened

Huey is already being piloted at select Walmart stores in Tennessee and Arkansas, where shoppers can walk up and create bespoke nail polish shades in minutes. Whether you want to match your polish to your handbag, your shoes, your favourite jumper or your hair colour, Huey’s AI tools can identify the exact shade and mix it on the spot.

“Our investment in Blank Beauty is the logical next step in our partnership and allows us to support Blank Beauty in their growth goals while leveraging their technology to support Kirker’s customers around the world,” said Trish Malvar, President of Kirker Enterprises, Inc.

MORE: $20M Raised to Bring AI-Powered Beauty to India

DISCOVER: These were the most searched for beauty brands of 2024

And if you’re not near a Walmart? Blank Beauty’s online platform offers a similarly sleek experience: upload a photo, click the colour you want, name your unique shade, and they’ll deliver it to your door. No more guesswork. No more disappointment.

Of course, this isn’t the first attempt at custom polish tech. Around 15 years ago, Brazilian brand Esmalte Machine trialled something similar. More recently, the at-home device Nimble, showcased at CES 2024, offered automated painting and drying – but not shade customisation.

MORE: The Rise of At-Home Beauty Gadgets: What’s Behind the Trend?

DISCOVER: The 7 Best Mobile Beauty Apps in the UK

With further innovations debuting this year at Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna from IL Cosmetics and Fiabila, the nail industry is clearly undergoing a tech-fuelled transformation. Whether that translates into a sales surge is still to be seen – but the appetite for custom, clever and fast beauty solutions is clear.

Blank Beauty’s Huey stands out not just for its tech credentials, but for actually solving a common beauty gripe in a smart, satisfying way. The future of nail polish? It might just be robotic.