Just Eat's AI-images put eggs in cola, fries in muffins!
What's the story
Just Eat, a popular online food delivery service, had been using AI-generated images to display items that didn't yet have photos, but not all the results were as expected. Some bizarre combinations created by AI included bacon and eggs floating in cola and chips sticking out of muffins. The company has now issued an apology for a series of blunders involving these images of restaurant dishes.
Company statement
We are 'removing' the incorrect images
A spokesperson for Just Eat told BBC that they are "in the process of removing" these incorrect images and will not create more until the AI is improved.
The company works with tens of thousands of small restaurants on their food imagery, including funding professional local photographers.
"We've been trialing AI-enhanced images, and as with any new technology, it isn't always quite right the first time," the spokesperson added.
Tech hurdles
AI's misinterpretation of words
The incident highlights the challenges companies still face with AI, especially when it comes to understanding words in a specific context.
Members of the Just Eat UK subreddit have been sharing hilarious reinterpretations of takeaway food items over the past few days.
Any picture generated by AI on the delivery app comes with a label indicating its origin, but many unusual interpretations are still visible on menus.
Menu mishaps
Confusion on menus
The AI's misinterpretations have led to some confusion on menus.
For instance, a Belfast cafe's bacon and egg soda bread dish was depicted as a fizzy drink with a cooked egg and bacon floating in it.
Spelling mistakes on menu items have also contributed to the mix-ups, like garlic bread shaped like a plane due to "plain" being misspelled.
Public response
Mixed reaction to AI-generated food images
The public's reaction to these AI-generated food images has been mixed.
Some users found the images "hilarious," while others were less impressed, saying it helped their diet.
One Instagram user even questioned the need for AI images of restaurant food, saying they prefer seeing what the dish actually looks like to help decide what to order from.