Swiss cola manufacturer Vivi Kola has embraced artificial intelligence (AI) to create its latest product, Vivi Nova. The company harnessed AI technology to develop a low-sugar, vegan beverage that boasts several health benefits. AI’s potential to generate creative and trendy content impressed Vivi Kola’s managing director, Camilo Antezana. Migros, the Swiss retail giant, is stocking Vivi Nova, and the company plans to make it available at its sister company, ViCAFE, from this month.
Vivi Kola’s team turned to the chatbot ChatGPT, an OpenAI natural language processing tool that can engage in ‘humanlike’ conversational dialogue, for inspiration. Excited by AI fever, the team asked ChatGPT to formulate a vegan recipe that included ingredients with confirmed health benefits. The bot suggested water, lime juice, haskap berry juice, ginger juice, chicory root powder, and cane sugar. The team was pleasantly surprised by how the drink would be full of antioxidants, strengthen the immune system, promote a healthy gut, and aid digestion.
The team then procured the ingredients, combined them, and conducted the first taste test, which yielded positive results. When it was time to come up with a name for the new beverage, the team asked ChatGPT for suggestions, requesting a four-letter word to align with the other brands in Vivi Kola’s portfolio. The chatbot suggested Vivi Nova.
To design the label, Vivi Kola utilized generative AI bot Midjourney and 3D creation tool Unreal Engine for their input. From a ‘rather boring’ image of the haskap berry, the AI tools developed a detailed, ‘futuristic’ illustration that is now being used for Vivi Nova’s label. The team was impressed by the ability of AI to recognise current trends and generate creative content.
While AI continues to gain traction in various industries, Antezana still believes that AI is merely ‘an exciting aid’ and affirmed that it cannot replace people yet.
