In recent months, GlobalSpec has been examining how ChatGPT — the natural language processing tool driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and created by the AI research firm OpenAI — is impacting specific industries, looking first at the oil and gas, healthcare and manufacturing industries. This follow-up feature will examine the impact ChatGPT is expected to have on the food and beverage industry.

Like the industries previously examined, the food and beverage industry is a compilation of many parts. Under the industry's so-called umbrella are food processing, manufacturing, restaurants, grocery stores, the supply chain, packaging and agriculture, to name just a few of its critical parts. And, just like those previously examined industries, ChatGPT is also expected to alter some components of the food and beverage industry.

Follow along as GlobalSpec explores the potential role that ChatGPT will play in the future food and beverage industry.

Farming and agriculture

At first glance, farming might not seem like an ideal candidate for any ChatGPT applications. However, experts are suggesting that the chatbot could potentially up-end this piece of the food and beverage industry. The technology could be used to automate tasks on the farm, such as piloting harvesting or weed-pulling robots, for instance. Further, the technology could be used to analyze sensor data to monitor crops, predict eventual crop yields, determine optimal fertilizer and water amounts, and monitor livestock health and behavior.

Additionally, the technology could potentially be used to create “new crops” via breeding or genetic engineering wherein the chatbot can help make predictions about what genetic combinations will produce what traits.

Food processing

Just as it is being used in the manufacturing space, ChatGPT is expected to automate a considerable amount of the repetitive tasks in the food processing space with material handling robots, for instance, being controlled by ChatGPT. In addition to automating repetitive tasks in food processing plants, the chatbot is expected to offer avenues for producing less waste, creating better quality products, suggesting new foods to be produced, improving safety and hygiene practices, and increasing overall productivity.

Specifically, the technology might assist food manufacturers with recipe optimization, gathering consumer preferences and data to inform the development of a new product. Likewise, it could be used to help manufacturers and producers identify alternative ingredients such as alternative proteins, for existing products, by identifying desirable properties in nature and elsewhere.

However, customer service departments for food manufacturers is where ChatGPT is likely to shine the brightest. Serving as a sort-of virtual assistant, the chatbot promises to enhance customer relations by answering questions about ingredients, food safety and hygiene practices in the food manufacturing space.

Supply chain

ChatGPT can also be used to make predictions about the supply chain, according to experts. For instance, the chatbot might be able to forecast supply chain disruptions, optimize delivery schedules or make predictions about consumer behavior based on historical data.

In addition to potentially optimizing the food and beverage supply chain, the technology can also be used for data sharing across the various food and beverage industry stakeholders — such as between transportation and the factory or the consumer and the manufacturer.

Consumers

ChatGPT is not limited to industry stakeholders alone. Consumers might already be using the technology — both knowingly and unknowingly, with some companies like InstaCart already employing some version of ChatGPT for its shoppers. The technology can make recipe suggestions based on the contents of a consumer’s refrigerator or guide consumers as they shop at the grocery store, for instance. Further, the technology can offer nutritional information about selected products and menu items either in the store or restaurant, which could prove helpful to those with dietary restrictions. Likewise, the technology could offer meal suggestions for the ingredients that a consumer might have on-hand to reduce the incidence of consumer food waste.

Meanwhile, in the restaurant space, consumers might encounter ChatGPT when they are making restaurant reservations or when a server reveals wine and food pairing recommendations.

These are just a few examples of how ChatGPT might be used in the food and beverage industry. Check back with GlobalSpec for more from this ongoing series that investigates the role that ChatGPT is playing in assorted industries.