Generative AI: Your Co-Pilot, Not Your Auto-Pilot in the FMCG Industry

Kasun Sanjeewa Perera
3 min readOct 13, 2023

The Dawn of AI Collaboration

Generative AI’s prominence across industries paints a vivid picture of the future. Yet, as we integrate AI into the FMCG sector, its role is clear: it’s a co-pilot, enhancing human capabilities, but not supplanting the irreplaceable human essence. This balance is especially tangible when we juxtapose its impacts on the Food and Beverage sector against the Beauty and Personal Care sphere.

Trend Monitoring: Gauging Palates and Palettes

In the ever-evolving world of FMCG, understanding what resonates with consumers is paramount. Generative AI, with its data-digesting capabilities, offers a unique lens.

For Food and Beverage:

  • Emerging Tastes: AI can rapidly sift through online chatter, from gourmet blogs to foodie influencers, pinpointing emerging tastes — be it a newfound love for matcha-flavored desserts or an uptick in fermented foods. However, it’s the culinary experts who craft these insights into palatable products, understanding how matcha’s bitterness pairs with certain sweets, for instance.
  • Dietary and Sustainability Trends: Generative AI can detect patterns, like a rise in gluten-free diets or…

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Kasun Sanjeewa Perera

Scientist to Entrepreneur, 10 years in Academics in Asia, Middle East and Europe