McCormick & Co. Inc. plans to use artificial intelligence to create new flavors and products through a research collaboration with IBM, the spice maker said Monday.
The idea is to pair IBM's expertise in machine learning with McCormick's more than 40 years of sensory science and taste data, the companies said. McCormick's data includes not only past product formulas but millions of data points that relate to consumer taste preferences and palettes.
"One," the first product line developed through artificial intelligence, will be on U.S. retail shelves by late spring and initially include a set of one-dish recipe mix flavors, such as Tuscan Chicken, Bourbon Pork Tenderloin and New Orleans Sausage. The "One" platform is designed as seasoning for both proteins and vegetables.
McCormick's product developers will use artificial intelligence to learn and predict new flavors, making the process faster and more efficient, the company said. The technology will be used in developing both consumer and commercial market products.
"McCormick's use of artificial intelligence highlights our commitment to insight-driven innovation and the application of the most forward-looking technologies to continually enhance our products and bring new flavors to market," said Lawrence Kurzius, McCormick's chairman, president and CEO, in an announcement Monday.
He said the project is among several in the pipeline using new and emerging technologies.
"IBM Research's collaboration with McCormick illustrates our commitment to helping our clients and partners drive innovation across industries," said Kathryn Guarini, vice president for industry research for IBM, in the announcement. "By combining McCormick's deep data and expertise in science and taste, with IBM's AI capabilities, we are working together to unlock the bounds of creativity and transform the food and flavor development process."
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