You have probably already heard or read about ChatGPT, the AI chatbot developed by OpenAI.

According to Wikipedia, its name “ChatGPT” combines “Chat”, referring to its chatbot functionality, and “GPT”, which stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer, a type of large language model (LLM).

It is a sign of an AI-changed world that is coming up. There is lot’s of controversy about how it will eliminate human copywriters. There are also specific conversations about the way it will enhance food safety and quality, or how it may improve food risk detection.

Typical diagram explaining the Technology Adoption Lifecycle (from https://thinkinsights.net/strategy/crossing-the-chasm/)

 

Being quite a Pragmatist in the technology adoption lifecycle of Crossing The Chasm, it took me a few months before I gave it a try. My request was very specific:

“Write me a blog post about how AI is changing food risk forecasting”

 

In a matter of seconds, ChatGPT generated the following article for me. Which I have annotated with comments, for your pleasure only.

 

Title

Forecasting Food Safety Trends: The Role of AI in Safeguarding Our Plates

[I think I’ve seen this title before. We have recently opened a copywriter position in our marketing team, and many of the received article samples had such a title. Not sure if using ChatGPT should make us qualify or disqualify applicants]

Introduction

Greetings, food safety enthusiasts! Today, we embark on a captivating exploration of how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the landscape of food safety by revolutionizing the way we forecast emerging trends. Join me as we dive into the world of AI-powered predictive analytics and discover how it is reshaping our ability to proactively identify and mitigate potential food safety risks.

[If a human colleague wrote this, it would definitely put me off. Sounds more like a morning news show anchor line than an intriguing opening to a futuristic article]

Unlocking the Power of Data
In the era of big data, information has become an invaluable asset in predicting food safety trends. The food industry generates vast amounts of data related to production processes, supply chain activities, regulatory compliance, and consumer feedback. By harnessing AI algorithms, this wealth of information becomes a powerful tool for forecasting emerging trends that may impact food safety.

[All the right buzzwords are here. Too many of them, I have to say]

AI algorithms can analyze massive datasets, detect hidden patterns, and identify correlations that might evade human observation. By examining variables such as ingredient quality, processing conditions, and consumer preferences, these intelligent systems can generate accurate forecasts regarding potential food safety risks.

[Very accurate and true, I will admit that]

Armed with this knowledge, stakeholders can take proactive measures to prevent and address issues before they escalate, safeguarding public health and bolstering trust in our food systems.

[Dangerously close to a political fanfare]

Machine Learning for Enhanced Precision

Machine learning, a subset of AI, empowers systems to learn from data and continuously improve their predictive capabilities. In the realm of food safety trend forecasting, machine learning algorithms are a game-changer. Through exposure to vast amounts of data, these algorithms refine their models, enabling more accurate and reliable predictions of emerging risks.

[All true]

Imagine a scenario where a novel foodborne pathogen is identified. Machine learning algorithms can rapidly analyze available data, including genetic sequences, geographic information, and clinical reports, to assess the potential spread and impact of the pathogen. This level of precision allows stakeholders to prioritize resources, implement targeted interventions, and develop effective preventive strategies. By staying one step ahead of emerging trends, we can effectively protect consumers and maintain the integrity of our food supply chain.

[The argument is extremely right. But the devil is in the details: “genetic sequences, geographic information, and clinical reports” is the type of data that is hard to discover, combine and analyze at a global scale]

Real-Time Monitoring and Early Warning Systems

The integration of AI in food safety trend forecasting brings the advantage of real-time monitoring and early warning systems. Traditional methods of trend analysis often rely on retrospective data analysis or periodic assessments, which may not capture rapidly evolving risks. However, AI-powered monitoring systems can continuously analyze diverse data sources, detecting subtle patterns and issuing alerts when potential risks emerge.

[I’ve heard one of our team members using THESE EXACT WORDS in a recent presentation. My goodness]

For example, social media monitoring can provide valuable insights into consumer sentiments, emerging trends, and potential food safety concerns. AI algorithms can analyze this vast amount of unstructured data in real time, flagging relevant information for further investigation. By harnessing the power of AI-driven early warning systems, stakeholders can swiftly respond to potential risks, minimize harm, and protect public health.

[This has always been an interesting use case: social media monitoring for consumer sentiments and potential food safety concerns. It may be an early warning signal for an outbreak. Still, can this forecast an emerging food safety trend?]

Collaboration and Knowledge-Sharing

AI-driven food safety trend forecasting thrives on collaboration and knowledge-sharing. By providing stakeholders with timely and accurate trend information, AI facilitates collaborative efforts and fosters a culture of proactive risk management.

[Another political fanfare]

AI systems can analyze data from diverse sources, including government agencies, research institutions, and industry networks, enabling stakeholders to collectively identify emerging trends and potential risks. This collaborative approach strengthens the resilience of our food system, encourages the adoption of best practices, and enhances the overall safety of our plates.

[Now, this is interesting. Too generic, too simplistic, and would make someone like me angry. The real challenge is getting all “government agencies, research institutions, and industry networks” to agree to share and/or exchange their data. Assuming that this will happen in a magical way reads very wrong]

Photo by Jorge Maya on Unsplash

Conclusion

As we conclude our exploration, we recognize the transformative power of AI in forecasting food safety trends.

[Sorry, I didn’t]

From unlocking the potential of big data to enhancing precision through machine learning, and real-time monitoring to fostering collaboration, AI is reshaping our ability to proactively identify and address emerging risks.

[Yes it does]

By leveraging the capabilities of AI-driven predictive analytics, we can safeguard public health, build consumer confidence, and ensure a future where our plates are safer than ever before.

[The politician took over again]

Together, let us embrace this exciting era of food safety trend forecasting.

[“Vote for me”]

 

(back to Nikos, reflecting on the experience)

My conclusion: ChatGPT is running for president. Or input texts that have been used to train its language model were policy-related to a large extend. It is also important to note that for this writing assignment I used the free version of ChatGPT, which is based on an older version of the model. The most recent version of the model is much more advanced.

It has been extremely easy to write a blog post that does make sense. But I assume that an expert reader of my blog would be frustrated by some of the generic and simplistic statements that it includes.

Therefore, I will stick to my DYI approach as far as opinion pieces are concerned.

But more ChatGPT-powered experiments will follow 😉