Pickle-flavoured tart, anyone? Japanese convenience stores turn to AI for novelty sweets

Fears that advanced Artificial Intelligence could wipe out humanity have dominated global headlines, but in Japan the technology is being used for a sweeter purpose – developing never-before-seen convenience store desserts.For customers tired of the usual egg sandwiches and rice balls, major chains are turning to AI to develop products, including some unexpected flavours.Lawson, one of the country’s biggest convenience store operators, said on Tuesday it would roll out three new food items, including a pickle-flavoured lemon tart and a bread roll filled with red bean paste, margarine and yogurt cream.These products, to be launched this month in Tokyo and neighbouring regions, were created using AI around the theme: “What on earth is this? But it’s delicious.”Lawson’s AI-created pickle-flavoured lemon tart. Photo: Kyodo“To generate ideas unconstrained by existing ways of thinking or market trends, we used AI during brainstorming, without relying on past sales figures or market data,” a company press release said.Meanwhile, rival FamilyMart said they fed sales data into AI to help develop a new dessert – a French-style canele pastry made with dough containing sweet potato puree and topped with caramel sauce.The dessert would hit shelves nationwide next week, a spokeswoman said, adding that the company had wanted to create something new but likely to sell.Like Lawson’s products, AI was used primarily for brainstorming, while human specialists were still involved in product development, according to the company.