AI Overload? Here’s the conversation that really matters.
This month, we discussed how the convergence of AI and collaboration across global supply chains could have a real impact. Futurist Melissa Clark-Reynolds ONZM shared insights and forward-thinking strategies on how AI can be harnessed by those in the Global Meat Alliance network to improve business outcomes and amplify our stories. Melissa delivered a raft of takeaways about what's on the horizon in AI, sparking powerful conversations around new ideas for the sector. This conversation marked the launch of exciting discussions about the future of the industry.
Guest Speaker:
Melissa Clark-Reynolds, ONZM is a New Zealand entrepreneur, foresight practitioner, and professional company director with a passion for climate and sustainability, particularly in food and agriculture. She was awarded the Insignia of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to the technology industry. At age 15, Melissa became the youngest woman to ever attend university in New Zealand.
Key Discussion Points
Using signals to predict opportunities
Melissa emphasises the importance of using signals to predict future trends and changes in the industry. She describes her approach as focusing on "weak signals from the future," which are small or local innovations or disruptions that have the potential to grow and cause significant impact. For instance, she mentioned how she looks for these signals to identify emerging trends before they become mainstream. By analysing these early indicators, Melissa can anticipate major shifts and adapt proactively. This method allows for a strategic advantage, as recognising and responding to these signals early can lead to innovative solutions and better preparedness for future challenges.
Historical Context of AI Development:
AI has taken roughly 40 years to develop, following a pattern of slow progress followed by rapid adoption.
Melissa emphasised, "It’s this concept of slowly, slowly, slowly, and then suddenly."
Example: Adoption of the car in the 1900s—transitioning from horses and carts to ubiquitous car usage within a few years. Similarly, electrification saw a rapid surge after initial slow growth. "We've been through a number of these kind of tech changes before. So I'd like you to think about this being no different in the adoption of the car in the 1900s."
Melissa suggests that we should think of AI as a utility, much like electricity or the internet, as it becomes an essential part of our infrastructure enabling new capabilities and efficiencies.
AI Applications in Agriculture and Meat Production:
AI can optimise farming practices, improve supply chain efficiency, and enhance product quality.
Predictive analytics for demand forecasting and inventory management.
Example: AI models predicting cattle health issues before they become severe, improving animal welfare and reducing losses.
Targeted Marketing with AI:
AI allows for super-targeted marketing, enabling companies to reach specific demographics.
AI-driven content marketing adapts to user preferences and search behaviors, enhancing customer engagement.
Content marketing has become even more critical with AI advancements. AI helps understand the intent behind searches and tailors content accordingly.
Example: When users search Google for "beef," AI determines if they want recipes, nutritional information, or general knowledge. This ensures users receive relevant content, improving engagement and satisfaction. That’s different from before when we would just be served beef recipes, the AI is trying to understand what’s the intention behind the question.
Melissa shared an slightly alarming story about Pak'nSave’s (NZ supermarket) chatbot mistake. The supermarket chain's AI chatbot, intended to suggest recipes, ended up recommending some dangerous and bizarre combinations, like a chlorine gas recipe when users entered cleaning products. This incident served as an important reminder: AI needs proper supervision to avoid such blunders. It highlighted the necessity of carefully monitoring AI systems to ensure they function correctly and safely, preventing potential mishaps that could have serious consequences.
Melissa also shared the opportunity to leverage AI-generated recipes for the meat sector - like this, highlighting how AI can create innovative and tailored meal suggestions that cater to diverse consumer preferences.
"The next area that we're seeing a whole lot of stuff is an AI recipes and some of these have been brilliant, and some of them have been absolutely atrocious, and you've got some opportunities here to use out of the box kind of chatbot approaches to recipe development," she said.
However, she also cautioned about the risks, sharing an example of an AI-driven "egg horror show" where an AI mistakenly suggested inedible or bizarre egg combinations.
Ethical Considerations:
Ethical implications of AI usage, including data privacy and IP.
Interesting read: A Chinese court has ruled that AI-generated works can receive copyright protection if there's significant human creativity involved. In this case, the court granted copyright to a person who used detailed prompts and adjustments with Stable Diffusion to create an image. This decision highlights the importance of human input in AI creations and sets a new precedent for intellectual property laws in China. Read more here.
During the Q&A session, when asked about data collection and the negative association that sometimes is aligned with that, Melissa emphasised the importance of quality over quantity. Melissa stressed the need for clean, accurate data and suggested businesses focus on collecting data that directly supports their goals. She also highlighted the importance of transparency and ethical considerations in data collection practices, advising companies to be clear about how they use and protect customer information. It’s also about how the information is used, it should “delight customers rather than creep them out,” ensuring a positive experience.
Supply Chain and Logistics Optimization:
AI can integrate land and sea transport for optimal shipping routes.
Melissa explained, "We now need to really be integrating our land transport and our sea transport... What is going to be the cheapest, fastest, greenest route, and that's much, much easier with AI."
Research and Development:
AI is being used to accelerate genetic research and improve breeding programs. By analysing large datasets, AI can identify desirable traits such as disease resistance, growth rates, and meat quality. This enables the selection of animals with optimal traits, enhancing productivity and sustainability in the meat industry.
Melissa emphasised, "AI has already been able to find this new drug, Helicon, which prevents E. coli development."
"We are seeing the application of CRISPR and other AI-driven genetic tools to edit genes for disease resistance, improving breeding values significantly across species."
Animal Welfare Improvements:
AI is being used to decode animal language, improving understanding of animal welfare needs.
Sector action points
Engagement with AI Technologies:
Encourage sector-wide collaboration to explore AI applications.
Host workshops and seminars to educate stakeholders about AI benefits and implementation.
Collaborative projects between AI firms and meat producers to pilot new technologies.
Melissa suggested, "We need to collaborate across the sector to fully explore AI applications."
Marketing and social opportunities - AI recipes, targeted marketing, Google Search
Sustainability Initiatives:
Implement AI-driven solutions to enhance sustainability efforts.
Ethical Framework Development:
Develop guidelines for ethical AI use in the meat sector.
Address data privacy and workforce implications of AI adoption.
Continuous Learning and Adaptation:
Stay updated with AI advancements and adapt strategies accordingly.
Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the industry.
Regular training programs for staff on the latest AI tools and techniques relevant to their roles.
Melissa highlighted, "Continuous learning and adaptation are key to staying ahead with AI."
In summary, Melissa highlighted the transformative potential of AI in the global meat sector. Emphasis needs to be on proactive engagement, ethical considerations, and sustainability in leveraging AI technologies.