Pepsi debuts AI tool to detect sweetness as new flavours launch

The drinks giant said its new AI technology can measure the sweetness of a product, offering a “revolutionary approach to sweetness quantification”.

Pepsi said the system uses AI models, image recognition and data analysis to define something’s sweetness, alongside more traditional definitions based on physical factors such as colour, visual softness, common perception and literal sweetness, in the case of food.

It is understood the tool can also identify figurative sweetness, and the pleasant emotion something can provoke, alongside literal sweetness.

The technology’s debut comes with a celebration of the brand’s two new drink flavours.

Showcased across video on demand, digital social and OOH channels, the campaign will also be supported by experiential activity in Central London, from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 April.

Inspired by the two flavours, the Pepsi ‘Sweet Room’ pop-up is a multi-sensory exhibition where passers-by can discover more about the campaign and the new drinks.

“We’re thrilled to launch this campaign, harnessing cutting-edge AI technology to bring a burst of excitement to the cola category,” said Pepsi UK and Ireland CMO of beverages Steven Hind.

“We’re celebrating the pure, guilt-free joy of flavour and encouraging everyone to savour life’s sweetest moments and things.”

PepsiCo chief creative officer for Sips and Bites Matthew Watson said: “We wanted to create something as sweet as the product itself, but also cool and culturally relevant.

“That’s why we clashed the seriousness of science and AI with sweet and sometimes trivial topics – and this experiment created the perfect amount of wonderful absurdity to deliver the indulgence of the flavours in a completely unexpected way.”

It is not the first time a drinks giant has drafted in AI. Last year, alcohol company Diageo experimented with AI by using it to predict its top summer cocktail through consumer trends.