AI beer brewing crowdsources customer feedback to adapt recipe

IntelligentX’s beers are brewed according to AI interpretation of customer preferences.

Food customization is traditionally limited to one-off items, but recently, we saw a vending machine that is able to 3D print personalized snacks on-demand. Now beer brewers IntelligentX is joining the mass customization movement by crowdsourcing customer feedback. Using an artificial intelligence algorithm, the brewing processes for each of its four beers is amended as customers feedback about their preferences.

The algorithm uses a reinforcement learning system to spot trends and alter the brewing processes and recipes to improve the taste of the beverages. First, drinkers try one of the four available beers. Codes printed on each bottle direct customers to Facebook Messenger, where the AI bot asks them a short series of questions about their experience. Then, the data is fed into the algorithm, and will be used to brew the next batch.

Currently sold in east London and a variety of pop-ups, the beer is available in four versions — golden, amber, pale and black. Since their launch, the IntelligentX beers have had their recipes tweaked 11 times. Could crowdsourcing work in other areas of craft production?