Food and beverage manufacturers are still on the fence about artificial intelligence adoption. Many believe it isn't useful or plain do not know how to use it. According to research firm Mordor Intelligence, artificial intelligence in the food and beverage market was valued at U.S. $3.07 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $29.94 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of over 45.77% during the forecast period, 2021-2026. The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is made up of three principle daughter associations: robotics, machine vision and motion control/motor industries, where AI acts as a bridge across those technologies. One of the roles for Robert Huschka, vice president of Education Strategies, A3, is liaison to the strategic advisory committee on artificial intelligence.

Of all the disruptive digital technologies being deployed in food and beverage manufacturing, none is more controversial than Artificial Intelligence (AI). Robotics, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics and AI are evolving from science fiction to reality, seemingly, overnight. Companies are reevaluating their processes -- and the workforce -- and making decisions that will drastically impact the job market in food and beverage manufacturing. Today, AI is particularly valuable in automating and streamlining the complete manufacturing ecosystem, from speeding operations and automating routine decisions, to advising on executive-level decisions. It is also fueling a heated debate as to whether factories should ultimately rely on AI-driven machines and robotics, which could eliminate the majority of manufacturing jobs.