Foodservice needs AI to wean off the gig economy - Verdict

ArtificiaI intelligence (AI) is on the rise across business in general. But the foodservice industry may be another matter, as it isn't usually considered to be the fastest sector when it comes to adopting new technology. Whilst the industry's disruption by the gig economy did indicate new pathways, the recent stock flotation of food-delivery startup Deliveroo has found itself beset by the same ESG issues over workers' rights that have long dogged the likes of Uber and Lyft. In such cases, AI may be the game-changer that other sectors see it as; a GlobalData report from 2020 predicts the global AI platform market will be worth $52bn within three years. While it may not solve the sort of labour disputes faced by Deliveroo, AI-powered automation is what foodservice should be taking note of, and in some cases already is.