As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more ubiquitous, the pressure to adopt it or risk falling behind the competition intensifies. AI seems to be a selling proposition on nearly every new software launch or update. However, alongside the excitement of the efficiency it promises, there is an innate human reluctance to change and hesitancy, and sometimes a lack of ability to manage or integrate AI into existing systems.
The intersection of layering new technology on trusted methodologies is integral to Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America Inc., who uses fermentation to create innovative solutions for today’s challenges, including sodium reduction and taste and texture improvement.
To understand shifting consumer behavior and drive innovation, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition is incorporating AI technologies into its strategic intelligence platform, combining traditional research methodologies with the speed and reach of AI. Chief Growth Officer and Executive Vice President, Ryan Smith shares how his team has seen success using AI to deepen customer relationships.
AI Makes Insights More Human-Centric
Innovating solutions that help CPG and foodservice companies succeed with consumers requires a comprehensive understanding of consumer perception and behavior, as well as the identification of relevant priorities that can serve as a springboard for innovation. According to Smith, AI enables this human-centricity by removing survey bias and revealing behaviors or realities consumers do not verbalize. Layering these insights with traditional methodologies such as consumer interviews or surveys provides the connectivity needed for Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition to best support the companies’ growth.
AI Fosters Cross Functional Collaboration
One of the most common fears AI elicits is job replacement. However, Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition uses AI to enhance collaboration and maximize human ingenuity. This involves using insights to ground a cross-functional team of food scientists, chefs, and marketers at the start a project. By understanding the context of the objective and the customer, the team can move out of their functional silos, improving continuity across functions and facilitating more productive meetings.
Failing Faster to Innovate Further
In today’s fast-paced world, businesses are under pressure to innovate quickly, despite facing unpromising odds of a single-digit success rate of new product launches. Smith explains that his team uses AI to fail faster. AI technologies foster an iterative process that runs parallel to trend cycles, streamlining objectives while removing traditional boundaries to widen the input funnel for innovation ideas. Although the odds of success remain the same, the output is greater, and the process is quicker.
As AI continues to revolutionize agility, Smith emphasizes the most important metric for how his team uses AI is growth. Leveraging AI to facilitate growth requires understanding how to use it effectively. He highlights the importance of asking the right questions and leveraging granular insights to create value. The food industry has an exciting opportunity to innovate alongside cultural shifts, as gastronomy continues to be a paradox of local and global influence. This is where ancient practices, like fermentation, meet new technologies like, AI, and for that – Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition is uniquely poised for success.
To learn more about how Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition is bridging centuries-old solutions with today’s consumer preferences, visit https://www.ajihealthandnutrition.com/solutions/food-beverage/.
