Tech
Microsoft co-develops world’s first AI generated whiskey
Microsoft, best known for developing Windows, has a thirst for something new: whiskey.
The tech giant is co-developing the world’s first computer-generated blend using artificial intelligence.
For centuries, whiskey has been cultivated by craftsmen drawing on knowledge and experience passed through generations.
But now Microsoft has teamed up with Swedish distillery Mackmyra and Finnish consultancy Fourkind to use what’s being dubbed as the world’s first “bionic blender” to create the perfect tipple.
Machine learning analyzes existing recipes, sales data and customer preferences to generate a dataset of more than 70 million recipes that a robot predicts will be popular.
Read also: Panasonic cuts ties with embattled Huawei after US ban
While Microsoft’s leap from software to spirits might raise eyebrows in the Highlands of Scotland, the American software giant says its digital distiller will not replace the expertise and knowledge of human experts.
Angela D’Orazio, master blender at Mackmyra, says humans remain crucial to curating the final product: “The work of a Master Blender is not at risk.
“While the whiskey recipe is created by AI, we still benefit from a person’s expertise and knowledge, especially the human sensory part.
“That can never be replaced by any program. We believe that the whiskey is AI-generated, but human-curated. Ultimately, the decision is made by a person,” she said in a release.
This is the first time AI has been used to augment and automate the most time-consuming process of whiskey creation.
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