Publisher’s Note: AI in the Industry

I venture to think it would be impossible to find a person over the age of 16 who has not heard of, considered for personal use or fought to understand the power of AI. It’s this decade’s buzzword (or letters) and it continues to be on everyone’s mind. So, as students are graduating all over the country and asking themselves what industries are AI-safe, I wondered how AI is being integrated and used by the manufacturers we write about on a daily basis and how it will affect those looking to start a career in the foodservice space.

Based on observations from recent shows and industry leader conversations, plus some additional inspiration from AI-generated content itself, I see the potential for AI to be used in four key areas:

• Predictive maintenance, to monitor data that will determine the likelihood of equipment issues prior to the equipment going offline.

• Smart cooking controls, to have the ability to adjust cooking times and temperatures based on the specific food being prepared.

• New and enhanced user interfaces, the most striking of which to me would be smart assistants or voice activation allowing workers to control equipment by spoken commands.

•Training, including AI-driven models or simulators that can train new and current staff members on how to use equipment properly, safely and more efficiently.

So, in short, I see AI as benefiting the operator and their employees rather than replacing their jobs. When I am talking to recent college grads my answer is clear, there is no better time to get into the foodservice space than now and that AI is here to help, not hurt, their chances of future advancement.

RANDY HANO

President & Publisher

rhano@fermag.com