We all have a relationship with food – some more endearing than others. For some of us, it’s the first thing we think of when we wake up in the morning; for a few others, it’s what fills the empty moments or gaps in our day as we cycle, run, exercise, or drive to work and back; for the rest of us, it’s probably when our tummy grumbles, when we see someone else eating, or when we come across an advertisement of food – either on the road, on our phones as we scroll, on our laptops as we work, or in the commercial breaks while watching our favourite sport on the telly.
Thanks to digital menus, online ordering, and doorstep deliveries, we have transitioned from paying our daily dues at morning coffee shops, lunch haunts, dinner regulars, or “down the local” watering holes to just having all that “good stuff” brought to our “Sheldon spot” on the couch at home.
Even for those of us cooking at home, ordering microwaveable meals, or just plain old groceries, we’ve swapped our physical shopping carts and the jaunt down to the 7-11 for the tiny “Add to Your Cart” option and Apple Pay at the end of a tiring day. We conveniently postpone the visit to the brick-and-mortar for the bigger monthly buys at the start of the month or for the larger sales that offer a greater promise in-store than online.
It’s no surprise, then, that food comes chasing us through texts, unsolicited ads, and tongue-in-cheek notifications on our phones and laptops like a long-lost friend. Our relationship with food is constantly changing, and so it seems – its relationship with us is, too.
With an increasing focus on hyper-personalisation, sustainability-conscious consumers, health and wellness, global flavours and fusion, the options around food have become far more complex than mere “what’s for dinner”?
In fact, with the explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and tech-driven capabilities, food has morphed into more of an experience than a meal. What then are the Top 3 AI-powered trends that are set to restructure our relationship with food?
The rise of hyper-personalised diets
Many of us have been there – scrolling through a seemingly infinite list of recommended diets online to aid weight loss, muscle gain, fix our nutritional imbalances, or improve our fitness. Often, this leaves us more confused than informed. Not everyone can afford a personal nutritionist, relying instead on available information online.
Powered by generative AI, menu layouts on delivery apps will become highly personalised experiences tailored precisely to individual preferences. AI will be able to understand our body types and can cater to dietary inclinations, allergies, and other specificities.
Thanks to Large Language Models (LLMs), every customer will be able to pick out dishes from a menu curated to their unique tastes and preferences. This AI-driven system will learn your eating habits and inclinations, guaranteeing a menu customised to your liking. If you lean towards a meat-free diet, it will intelligently filter out meat-related selections from your view.
For personal use, think of AI as a virtual nutritionist and personal trainer accompanying you wherever you go. It can plan your meals according to your week in terms of your work schedule, sleep cycle, and other variables that can influence the AI algorithm.
AI-powered smart kitchens
Ever found yourself staring into your fridge aimlessly? With the variety of ingredients at hand, you opted to make a simple grilled cheese sandwich. Not anymore! AI now enables your smart fridge to peer inside your smart fridge and with AI, develop a list of recipes just by looking at what you have in your fridge while simultaneously minimising food waste. As time progresses, this AI will familiarise itself with your culinary preferences, dislikes, dietary needs, and budget constraints, ensuring cost-effective recommendations.
Brands such as Samsung are even trialling a Bot Chef – an AI-powered robotic chef that learns from experiences and manages various culinary tasks with ease. It’s the perfect assistant for home kitchens.
Moving past AI-powered robot chefs, AI-fuelled smart kitchens extend the “smart” features to appliances that meal prep, cook, and clean up – all while emphasising water savings, energy efficiency, and personalised practices.
For those of us who enjoy home-cooked meals, we can expect AI, robotics, and smart appliances to drastically change the experience around cooking – opening a world of possibilities not only in terms of the range of dishes we cook, but also in line with the values we hold dear in a vast self-sustainable, automated self-cooking ecosystem.
AI-managed plant-based diets
Plant-based diets are responsible for offering alternative protein sources, including algae proteins, mycoproteins, and cultured proteins which are now regarded as the future of nutrition. Why does this matter? Well, the global population is anticipated to reach nearly 9 billion individuals by 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100, as projected by the United Nations. This rapid growth signals a considerable strain on available resources, resulting in a dwindling supply of conventional food.
Experts predict a shift toward plant-based protein options soon. Despite the effort to establish widespread adoption of plant-based diets, a complete and permanent transition appears unlikely.
However, the impact will affect food pricing, as plant-based diets tend to be more cost-effective than their alternatives. This shift in affordability is poised to influence purchasing power across nations, fostering a shift toward healthier dietary choices.
Numerous start-ups are actively contributing to the advancement of plant-based diets. But as AI gains momentum, some of them are incorporating AI strategies into their operations. Algorithms now possess the capability to recognise the chemical interrelationships between food’s molecular composition and human perceptions of taste and texture. By employing molecular compositions, these algorithms can craft animal-based foods using plant-derived formulations.
A prime example is the emulation of milk. The algorithm dissects the molecular structure and then draws from elements found in plant-based sources to recreate the taste, visual appeal, and texture of the original animal product.
Final thoughts
The mass deployment of AI across the culinary world, both at home and in F&B kitchens, will not be achieved overnight. It will be a slow process that involves gradual and methodical steps with sufficient experimentation, innovation, trial and error.
Nevertheless, AI’s influence on the food industry is irrefutable. It’s changing how we perceive, interact, and mentally and physically digest food options and the food itself.
Will AI-based advancements satiate human cravings and befit our nutritional intake? Only time will tell.
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