How will AI impact spirits?
Summary
Among the panellists for the first seminar, The Nature of Sensorial AI, were: Patrick Schmitt MW, the drinks business’ editor-in-chief; Pam Dillon, co-founder and CEO of Preferabli, New York; professor Charles Spence MA PhD, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford; and Chris Hoel, founder and CEO of Harper’s Club. Well, if you can connect it to a sort of sonic seasoning or some other kind of multi-sensory experience that goes beyond the drink, then you’re delivering more, and you’re building a differentiated product, and more tastes converge.” Sommelier Hoel believes music is another important element in a service setting. Drinks trends definitely follow this kind of macrocultural movement.” The final seminar of the day explored AI software development in the wine and spirits industry. Joining Schmitt and Dillon on the panel was Barry C Smith, professor of philosophy, and director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, and Rob Hollands, CEO of Proofworks, which aims to help the spirits sector digitalise the supply chain and combat counterfeiting. This is all amplification and expansion.” Hollands added: “From a consumer perspective, not everyone has access to go to a whisky tasting or visit a distillery or be guided on their wine journey.