AI will easily be able to recommend "standard" wine/food pairings, as well as some well known "deviations" from the norm, viz Evan Goldstein. However, there is no space for creativity and flair, say when putting a list together, using small "undiscovered" producers and trying to surprise your customers with joyous new discoveries.
AI will simply yet again narrow the market and play it safe, pandering to the so called majority, with big chains using this as an excuse to further screw suppliers and limit consumer choice. Effectively the usual big business race to the lowest common denominator...
Great post Vicky. You captured the inherent struggle perfectly. The coming AI wave will change everything. Here's hoping your ideal scenario comes to pass. I'll dust off my rose-colored glasses for my post on Saturday. Cheers!
First off, thanks for the reference and shout out Vicky.
This article is the pragmatic breakdown of what is happening in real time and will continue to evolve. You’re not sugar coating it. People will (are) lose(ing) jobs over it. It’s a good reminder at this point in the series, wake up, we aren’t going backwards. Forward is AI and we have to learn to live with it, even if we don’t like it.
“…it doesn’t matter how much wine professionals wring their hands and bang on about storytelling. Let’s not conflate how we personally feel about AI with what AI can actually do. Just because we don’t want AI to take our jobs doesn’t mean it won’t.”
Humans in wine have their work cut out for them. Like you said, The French Laundry isn’t getting rid of their Somm staff, the ones who work the floor and taste with the back of house. But the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group is a large corporate restaurant management company, don’t think for a second that in the corporate realm they won’t use AI to improve wine/food buying and selection and then negotiate with their suppliers to save money. It wouldn’t make sense not to.
Exactly - at the end of the day, we live in a capitalist society. There is money to be made (or saved) here, and it's likely to be at the expense of the little guy.
This is a great take. The kiosk example is helpful. It's funny because for me - the "robot" experience depends. I live in the US - Pennsylvania.
We have a convenience store around here that sells hoagies and coffee, etc. They use the kiosk, and they have for years. I used to stop in often before work. And I didn't mind the kiosk. It's a gas station. I was in a hurry. Over time, though, I stopped going. Mainly because the quality of their sandwiches went wayyyy down. So, maybe that's another aspect to consider - even though it's indirect and down the line: When companies/stores/restaurants start to prioritize cost-cutting measures over quality, then expect that will trickle down to the actual food/wine at some point.
Okay, another example. There is a coffee shop that I used to frequent. It's an independently owned shop. Cute. Great vibe. And they got kiosks, and what you said happened there, too. Dismal. It bothers me so much. And I just don't find myself going there any more. ... I don't think about the kiosk, I just always find myself wanting to go elsewhere. The bots killed the vibe in that place.
So - maybe it all depends. Not only on a macro scale, but on a micro one. Business to business.
Absolutely - I don't mind a self-service gas station kiosk in the slightest. But at one of the most beautiful museums in Amsterdam, where you want to take a book and admire the architecture and "treat yourself" to some proper barista coffee and a slice of carrot cake? This is not the moment for an effing robot!
I’m from Villanova- lived in the area 18 yrs, college in Philly, blah, blah. Wawa was my favorite place ever. We just got one 3 miles from us in Indianapolis. I’m actually going today to see how things are. But I imagine since they expanded so much it won’t be what it used to but will still feel like home.
I feel like I'd be burned at the stake to admit it, but I feel like Wawa just isn't what it used to be. And I used to be obsessed with it. I used to loiter at the Wawa. I used to pontificate about it. Proselytize. Etc. (Like any good suburban philly-an.)
But over the last few years it just doesn't seem the same...They don't use Amoroso rolls anymore. There is a huge menu, but it is just okay. Sure. Wawa hits the spot at 2AM, but I'm always asleep then. Haha.
Now, I just get my hoagies from my local pizza place. I honestly haven't gotten a Wawa hoagie in a few years. In the past, I never would have imagined that sentence coming out of my mouth (or fingers).
That sucks they don’t use Amoroso rolls anymore that was half the reason the hoagies were so good! Wawa got me through life in Philly, it was a much better option than Pat’s or Geno’s! Hehe
AI will easily be able to recommend "standard" wine/food pairings, as well as some well known "deviations" from the norm, viz Evan Goldstein. However, there is no space for creativity and flair, say when putting a list together, using small "undiscovered" producers and trying to surprise your customers with joyous new discoveries.
AI will simply yet again narrow the market and play it safe, pandering to the so called majority, with big chains using this as an excuse to further screw suppliers and limit consumer choice. Effectively the usual big business race to the lowest common denominator...
I fear you're right. Since AI will spew out whatever's been covered most previously, it'll be a case of more of the same.
Great post Vicky. You captured the inherent struggle perfectly. The coming AI wave will change everything. Here's hoping your ideal scenario comes to pass. I'll dust off my rose-colored glasses for my post on Saturday. Cheers!
I don't have high hopes for society, but I'm looking forward to your post nonetheless!
First off, thanks for the reference and shout out Vicky.
This article is the pragmatic breakdown of what is happening in real time and will continue to evolve. You’re not sugar coating it. People will (are) lose(ing) jobs over it. It’s a good reminder at this point in the series, wake up, we aren’t going backwards. Forward is AI and we have to learn to live with it, even if we don’t like it.
“…it doesn’t matter how much wine professionals wring their hands and bang on about storytelling. Let’s not conflate how we personally feel about AI with what AI can actually do. Just because we don’t want AI to take our jobs doesn’t mean it won’t.”
Humans in wine have their work cut out for them. Like you said, The French Laundry isn’t getting rid of their Somm staff, the ones who work the floor and taste with the back of house. But the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group is a large corporate restaurant management company, don’t think for a second that in the corporate realm they won’t use AI to improve wine/food buying and selection and then negotiate with their suppliers to save money. It wouldn’t make sense not to.
Exactly - at the end of the day, we live in a capitalist society. There is money to be made (or saved) here, and it's likely to be at the expense of the little guy.
This is a great take. The kiosk example is helpful. It's funny because for me - the "robot" experience depends. I live in the US - Pennsylvania.
We have a convenience store around here that sells hoagies and coffee, etc. They use the kiosk, and they have for years. I used to stop in often before work. And I didn't mind the kiosk. It's a gas station. I was in a hurry. Over time, though, I stopped going. Mainly because the quality of their sandwiches went wayyyy down. So, maybe that's another aspect to consider - even though it's indirect and down the line: When companies/stores/restaurants start to prioritize cost-cutting measures over quality, then expect that will trickle down to the actual food/wine at some point.
Okay, another example. There is a coffee shop that I used to frequent. It's an independently owned shop. Cute. Great vibe. And they got kiosks, and what you said happened there, too. Dismal. It bothers me so much. And I just don't find myself going there any more. ... I don't think about the kiosk, I just always find myself wanting to go elsewhere. The bots killed the vibe in that place.
So - maybe it all depends. Not only on a macro scale, but on a micro one. Business to business.
Absolutely - I don't mind a self-service gas station kiosk in the slightest. But at one of the most beautiful museums in Amsterdam, where you want to take a book and admire the architecture and "treat yourself" to some proper barista coffee and a slice of carrot cake? This is not the moment for an effing robot!
Wawa!!!!!!!
Yep!
I’m from Villanova- lived in the area 18 yrs, college in Philly, blah, blah. Wawa was my favorite place ever. We just got one 3 miles from us in Indianapolis. I’m actually going today to see how things are. But I imagine since they expanded so much it won’t be what it used to but will still feel like home.
I feel like I'd be burned at the stake to admit it, but I feel like Wawa just isn't what it used to be. And I used to be obsessed with it. I used to loiter at the Wawa. I used to pontificate about it. Proselytize. Etc. (Like any good suburban philly-an.)
But over the last few years it just doesn't seem the same...They don't use Amoroso rolls anymore. There is a huge menu, but it is just okay. Sure. Wawa hits the spot at 2AM, but I'm always asleep then. Haha.
Now, I just get my hoagies from my local pizza place. I honestly haven't gotten a Wawa hoagie in a few years. In the past, I never would have imagined that sentence coming out of my mouth (or fingers).
That sucks they don’t use Amoroso rolls anymore that was half the reason the hoagies were so good! Wawa got me through life in Philly, it was a much better option than Pat’s or Geno’s! Hehe
I don't have a clue what y'all are going on about, but I'm going to be in Michigan City, Indiana in a month. Do they have a Wawa there?!