Artificial intelligence robots boost profits in Chinese food factories, paving way for mass use
- Manufacturers are benefiting from machines that mimic the senses of human experts but not everybody is ready to let a device have the last word on Chinese cuisine
Taste-testing robots powered by artificial intelligence are guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of some mass-produced Chinese food, according to a report submitted to China’s central government last month.
More than 10 traditional Chinese food manufacturers that have taken part in a government-funded AI-tasting programme for more than three years are reporting significantly better profits, paving the way for mass application of the technology, the China National Light Industry Council said in the report.
The council, formerly known as the State Bureau of Light Industry, said the foods being tasted by robots included cured pork belly, black rice vinegar, fine dried noodles, Chinese yellow wine and tea. It said the robots had boosted the manufacturers’ profits by more than 300 million yuan (US$44.5 million) since 2015.
Jiangsu Hengshun Vinegar in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, which markets its products in 39 countries, saw sales rise by half to 1.8 billion yuan last year, with about a third of that being credited to the impact of its AI taster. A senior manager at the company confirmed the accuracy of the figures but declined to elaborate.
The report said the tasting robot “increased productivity, improved product quality and stability, reduced production costs and provided technical support to promote traditional cuisine outside the country”.