Raphael Thys
The first-ever soda drink created by artificial intelligence (AI) is here.
Coca-Cola’s Y3000 Zero Sugar, a limited edition drink that hit the shelves earlier this month, is what future tastes like, said the company in a statement. After all, it’s been created with the combined prowess of “human intelligence and AI together for an uplifting expression of what Coca‑Cola believes tomorrow will bring.”
How did they create it?
The company said they asked fans from all over the world to send their feedback on what a drink from the future would taste like, which helped Coca-Cola in its concoction. The use of AI helped the company develop flavor profiles and design the product’s outside packaging – the logo and text script.
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Each Y3000 can also has a QR code, which, when scanned, will give the customers a sneak peek into what the year 3,000 will look like. Consumers will be able to access the Coca‑Cola Creations Hub, where they can filter photos through the custom Y3000 AI Cam.
“We hope that Coca‑Cola will still be as relevant and refreshing in the year 3000 as it is today, so we challenged ourselves to explore the concept of what a Coke from the future might taste like—and what kind of experiences would a Coke from the future unlock?” said Oana Vlad, senior director of global strategy at Coca-Cola.
“The ‘Real Magic’ brand platform celebrates unexpected connections that make the ordinary extraordinary, so we intentionally brought human intelligence and AI together for an uplifting expression of what Coca‑Cola believes tomorrow will bring,” she added.
While we don’t know what the new futuristic drink exactly tastes like, people living in the United States, China, Europe, Canada, and Africa have the product available in their markets for a limited period.
“The role of every drop is to leverage the latest, most advanced technologies and cultural trends to create novel experiences,” Vlad said.
“After leaning into Augmented Reality last year, we’re embracing the power of AI and continuing to build our company’s capabilities in this exciting space. Coca‑Cola Creations has created new pathways to deepen our engagement with existing fans and those who may not have considered the brand before.”
More brands linking AI with creativity
Coca-Cola hired Pratik Thakar as the global head of generative AI, who believes AI will bridge the gap between human creativity and brand identity, reported Forbes. He said in an interview with The Drum, "Coca-Cola has always bridged the divide … how do we make it more approachable … more palatable and something which is useful to everyone?”
Coca-Cola is not the only brand experimenting with generative AI. Clients of ad giant WPP, like Nestlé and Mondelez, are using generative AI tools like OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 to make advertisements, reported The Verge. Executives of these companies say that using genAI tools “cut costs and increase productivity.”