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Dive Briefing:
- Danone has partnered with Microsoft to integrate artificial intelligence across its supply chain. The Danone Microsoft AI Academy will train 100,000 yogurt makers to gain useful skills in an “AI-driven economy,” the company announced Wednesday.
- The dairy company said the program will include initiatives to improve the AI experience for its employees, such as using predictive forecasting and real-time adjustments to streamline operations.
- The program builds on Danone’s Danskills, which was recently launched to “upskill and reskill” workers for the jobs of the future. The company says its 50,000 employees already have access to AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, a large-scale language modeling chatbot.
Dive Insight:
Danone’s collaboration comes as food and beverage processors look to leverage the fast-growing field of AI to achieve their goals and better compete with competitors.
The partnership will give the company the technology it needs to further enhance its efficiency, customer engagement and data analytics, Juergen Esser, the dairy company's CFO, said in a press release.
“Working together is not just about technology, it’s about fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation and performance across the organization,” Esser said.
The collaboration between Microsoft and Danone builds on a multi-billion dollar investment in AI through a partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, giving the owner of Dannon and Stonyfield yogurt access to a suite of tools from a leading technology company.
Beverage giant Coca-Cola is also asking the Windows founder for access to its AI capabilities, announcing in April that it was investing $1.1 billion in Microsoft’s cloud and AI services to drive efficiency and drive innovation.
Other beverage companies, including PepsiCo, are experimenting with new applications, such as AI hydration coach assistants for Gatorade consumers.
Companies in the food industry are turning to AI to make their products more appealing to consumers. Food giant Unilever is incorporating the technology to improve the shelf life, texture and taste of its products, leading to products like Hellman's Vegan Mayonnaise and Knorr Zero Salt Cubes. Kellanova, the snack company created last year when Kellogg's was spun off, is using machine learning to predict product demand and adjust inventory accordingly.
