JustEat apologises over AI menu pictures including bacon and eggs floating in cola

JustEat apologises over AI menu pictures including bacon and eggs floating in cola Food delivery app pauses rollout of ‘AI-enhanced’ menu images after technology misinterpreted some dishes - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in AI menu images generated by Just Eat have sparked confusion among customers, including a sausage soda bread dish sold by one cafe that was illustrated by a pint of cola with meat floating in it. Food delivery app Just Eat has been using AI to generate photos where restaurants haven’t taken their own pictures in order to illustrate menus on the app. The online food delivery app tags each photo on the menu as “AI-generated” if it has used the tool to create the image. In many instances, the AI generated photos have correctly imagined full English breakfasts or generic looking curries, but where the AI has gone wrong, customers have shared their bemusement on social media. Salt and pepper chips, a delicacy found in many Chinese takeaways which normally includes fried onions, chilli and peppers, was rendered as blandly seasoned potato snacks for a number of caterers. The option of cheddar cheese in the vegetarian section of one cafe’s menu was turned into an orange fondue-like sauce. One X user reshared a photo of bland-looking AI-generated salt and pepper chips, with a red symbol below to warn they were “spicy”, where they said: “I swear if my salt and pepper chips come like this I’m going to cause murder”. Meanwhile, one restaurant in Northern Ireland offering a range of soda breads for breakfast was given photos that appeared to show sausages, bacon and fried eggs floating in pints of fizzy drinks rather than sandwiches. The AI-generated images were part of a trial from Just Eat, which has now been paused after customers clocked onto the number of artificial images on the app. A Just Eat spokesperson said, "We want partners on our platform to show photos that accurately reflect their dishes so that our customers can be confident in what they are ordering and happy when their food arrives. We work with tens of thousands of small restaurants on their food imagery, including funding professional local photographers. “We've been trialling AI-enhanced images and as with any new technology, it isn't always quite right the first time. We're sorry for any inaccurate images that have been posted. We're in the process of removing them and have paused rolling this out while we further develop the tool to ensure it best serves our partners and customers." Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] AI generated