AI is changing the food industry, and we need to pay attention
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Less than five percent of people really understand how our food goes from farm to table. A quick look at social media shows that misinformation spreads faster than scientific facts, and many people struggle to find reliable information.
Whether it’s GMOs, organic foods, buying local, climate change, or corporate greed in agri-food, most people just don’t grasp the full picture, even with efforts from the media and experts. This lack of understanding could worsen with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
As bestselling author Yuval Noah Harari points out in his book Nexus, AI could make people more disconnected from many aspects of their lives, including food. While some compare AI’s rise to the internet revolution, the two aren’t the same. The internet is a tool, but AI can act independently, making decisions for us. This could lead to a situation where people are even less engaged with food systems than they are now, which is a real concern.
AI is currently playing a significant role in the food industry, bringing both advantages and challenges:
- Efficiency and waste reduction: AI is helping food manufacturers improve their supply chains, predict customer demand, and reduce food waste. By accurately forecasting what customers will want, companies can produce the right amount of food, potentially cutting waste by up to 35 percent.
- Personalized nutrition: AI is being used to offer personalized dietary advice tailored to individual preferences and health needs. This growing market could revolutionize how we approach nutrition, providing customized plans to millions of people based on their unique requirements.
- Food safety: AI enhances food safety by monitoring contamination risks and helping companies comply with regulations. This makes the food supply chain safer and more reliable, reducing the risks of foodborne illnesses.
- Job replacement: AI can potentially replace many jobs in the agri-food sector, particularly in management roles. It can optimize processes like logistics, waste management, and resource planning, which may lead to significant changes in the industry and create job disruptions.
- New food products: AI could create custom foods and flavours based on personal preferences and even design new, self-sustaining food systems. Imagine AI recreating historical recipes or developing ethical food systems that address climate change faster than we can today.
But while AI offers clear benefits, there are also serious ethical concerns:
- Influencing consumer behaviour: AI could give more power to those who control data, shaping our food choices and behaviour. Dynamic pricing and advanced marketing techniques might make it harder to tell what’s true or fair. Consumers could end up disadvantaged, unaware of how their preferences are being manipulated.
- Cultural impact: AI might influence our food cravings, shape culinary trends, and even erode culinary traditions. Food is deeply tied to culture, traditions, and personal preferences – can AI truly improve these human aspects, or will it harm cultural diversity?
- Widening inequality: Wealthier individuals could access better, AI-optimized diets, while poorer communities might be stuck with less nutritious options. This inequality already exists, but AI could make it worse, widening the gap between the rich and the poor.
AI could potentially completely reshape the way we think about food. While it aims to make food production more efficient, we must ensure it doesn’t erode local autonomy or food identities. It’s crucial to involve everyone in discussions about how AI is used in food and agriculture and to create regulations that prevent power from being concentrated in the hands of a few.
Finally, while AI holds enormous potential to revolutionize the food industry, it’s vital that we remain cautious about its broader impacts on society. AI is transforming how we produce, consume, and think about food, and it’s up to us to ensure these changes are positive and equitable.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, a Canadian professor and researcher specializing in food distribution and policy, is a senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. He is frequently cited in the media for his insights on food prices, agricultural trends, and the global food supply chain.
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