In a survey commissioned by Ingredient Communications and conducted by SurveyGoo
Most consumers believe that food and beverage manufacturers should declare if a product has been made with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), new research shows.
In a survey commissioned by Ingredient Communications and conducted by SurveyGoo, 83 per cent of respondents agreed that companies should declare on a product’s label if it has been designed or manufactured with the help of AI technology. More than half of all those surveyed – 55 per cent – agreed with this assertion strongly and only 4 per cent disagreed with it altogether.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 per cent) said they believed that food and beverage products made with the help of AI technology should not be described as ‘natural’ – with 12 per cent disagreeing with this. There was also strong support for regulation, with 78 per cent of respondents agreeing that the Government should introduce laws controlling the ways food and drink companies can use AI technology to design and manufacture their products. Just 6 per cent disagreed with this.
A majority of respondents (52 per cent) agreed with the general point that AI technology is a positive development that will benefit humanity, with 21 per cent disagreeing. However, when asked how they felt about the use of AI specifically to design and produce food and beverage products, fewer respondents (42 per cent) said they felt positively about this, with 27 per cent saying they felt negatively.
Just under half of respondents (44 per cent) said they believed that a food or beverage product made with the help of AI might be less safe to consume. However, they were split on whether they would be more or less likely to buy a food or beverage product made with the help of AI. Just over a quarter (26 per cent) said they would be more likely to do so, with 29% stating they would be less likely.
The survey also revealed a distinct generational split. A majority of Generation Z and Millennial respondents felt positive about the use of AI in the food industry (65 per cent and 57 per cent, respectively). The corresponding figure among Generation X and Boomers was markedly lower – 44 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively.
Richard Clarke, Managing Director of Ingredient Communications, commented: “Many food and beverage companies have rushed to embrace the benefits of AI technology but it’s important they take care to consider how consumers feel about this. We’ve seen a huge backlash against AI in the arts and entertainment business. To avoid the same fate, food and beverage manufacturers should pause to reflect on whether they are being sufficiently transparent about their use of AI.”
