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[1] Many people are worried that advanced artificial intelligence (AI) might one day threaten humanity. This has been a big topic in the news. In Japan, the technology is being used for a sweeter reason.It is helping create new desserts for sale in convenience stores. Some customers are bored with the usual egg sandwiches and rice balls. So, big retail chains are using AI to develop new products, including some surprising flavours.
[2] Lawson is one of the largest convenience store companies in Japan. It recently introduced three new food items. These included a lemon tart with pickles and a bread roll filled with red bean paste, margarine and yogurt cream. The items were launched in Tokyo and nearby areas. They were created using AI, with the idea being: “What on earth is this? But it’s delicious!” according to a company press release. “To generate ideas unconstrained by existing ways of thinking or market trends, we used AI during brainstorming, without relying on past sales figures or market data,” the press release said.
[3] Lawson rival FamilyMart said it gave sales data to AI to help create a new dessert, which is a French-style canele pastry. This pastry is made with dough containing sweet potato puree and topped with caramel sauce. The company said the dessert is available across Japan. Like Lawson, they used AI to come up with ideas. However, humans were still part of the product development process.
[4] This was not FamilyMart’s first dessert product made with the help of AI. In July, the chain tested a new biscuit sandwich with thick milk cream. The first experiment was a success, so the company decided to use AI to help create more products. A spokeswoman said they are planning to launch more of these items.
[5] The fast-growing abilities of AI have caused a worldwide scare recently. Researchers have warned of the dangers of extremely smart computer systems that might get beyond human control. Top AI labs in the United States have asked for a joint pause on their advanced projects. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing about how governments should manage the technology.
Source: Agence France-Presse, September 16
