Eye on AI - May 24, 2019
Welcome to Aigora's "Eye on AI" series, where we round up exciting news at the intersection of consumer science and artificial intelligence!
This week we start off looking at chatbots, which offer great potential not only for consumer engagement but also for consumer research. From the standpoint of consumer engagement, Middle East Beauty reported this week that L'Oreal is dialing up their chatbot capabilities after experiencing positive results with the Facebook messenger-based chatbot interface. According to L'Oréal Canada chief digital officer Robert Beredo,
"It is about deepening the relationship with the consumer that extends beyond the hard sell."
Given that chatbot technology is still in its infancy, this early success with chatbot technology is a sign that it's better to pay attention to the possibilities that chatbots offer consumer scientists sooner rather than later. To learn more about chatbots, we recommend this overview by Stefan Kojouharov on Chatbots Life.
Next, continuing the idea that blockchain will be part of a technological revolution in supply chain management, there were two stories this week about the use of blockchain for managing seafood supply. First, IBM gained another partner in the IBM Food Trust ecosystem this week in the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership. According to Jose Antonio Camposano, Executive President of the National Chamber of Aquaculture of Ecuador,
“Food fraud is on the rise. With complex supply systems, and a global lack of transparency we are seeing too many examples of mislabeling and poor quality products entering the marketplace. It’s time we change that. Consumers have a right to know where their food is from and how it was produced. By using blockchain technology we can provide complete traceability on our products and our practices – for the first time consumers can have complete trust and assurance on what they are buying.”
Next, Bernard Marr reported in Forbes that Bumble Bee and SAP have partnered to bring the transparency and accountability of blockchain technology to the Bumble Bee supply chain. Bumble Bee CIO Tony Costa stated,
"Because we can trace the movement of fish from the moment it's caught to the point where it is sold; our customers can have confidence that we're making a difference to delicate ecosystems as well as the lives of everyone involved in our supply chain."
As brands look to differentiate themselves, and as consumers become interested in knowing the sourcing of their food, look for more applications of blockchain technology to supply chain management.
The last major piece of news this week was that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) announced that forty-two countries had voted to adopt the new OECD principles on artificial intelligence. These principles are:
AI should benefit people and the planet by driving inclusive growth, sustainable development and well-being.
AI systems should be designed in a way that respects the rule of law, human rights, democratic values and diversity, and they should include appropriate safeguards – for example, enabling human intervention where necessary – to ensure a fair and just society.
There should be transparency and responsible disclosure around AI systems to ensure that people understand when they are engaging with them and can challenge outcomes.
AI systems must function in a robust, secure and safe way throughout their lifetimes, and potential risks should be continually assessed and managed.
Organisations and individuals developing, deploying or operating AI systems should be held accountable for their proper functioning in line with the above principles.
Read the full document here.
Finally, some quick notes:
AI continues to find valuable applications in agriculture, as reported in the Greenhouse Grower by Dr. Jason Behrmann.
Huge Brews applied machine learning to past beer tasting notes to generate two new beer recipes, as reported in AdWeek.
That's it for now. If you'd like to receive email updates from Aigora, including weekly video recaps of our blog activity, click on the button below to join our email list. Thanks for stopping by!
