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Delish’s Cooking Coach: Hearst‘s AI Voice Assistant Revolutionizes Home Cooking
Table of Contents
- Delish’s Cooking Coach: Hearst’s AI Voice Assistant Revolutionizes Home Cooking
- The Genesis of Cooking Coach
- Development and Features
- the Publisher’s Push into Generative AI
- Addressing Traffic Challenges
- The Future of Voice Assistants and AI in Publishing
- Expert Perspectives
- Key Metrics of the Cooking Coach
- What’s Next for AI and Cooking?
- Evergreen Insights: The Rise of AI in the Kitchen
- Frequently Asked Questions About AI Cooking Assistants
Hearst’s recipe site, Delish, has launched “Cooking Coach,” an AI voice assistant designed to help home cooks navigate recipes hands-free, marking a significant step in integrating AI into everyday culinary experiences. The tool, born from a weekend experiment, is now fully integrated into the Delish platform, offering personalized assistance to users in the kitchen.
The Genesis of Cooking Coach
Alexandria redmon, Hearst’s senior director of AI initiatives, spearheaded the project, envisioning a personal chef assistant that could be interacted with thru voice commands, eliminating the need to touch devices with messy hands. Utilizing openai’s GPT large language model, with whom Hearst has a content licensing agreement [1], Redmon quickly developed a prototype to address common cooking challenges, such as managing multiple timers and suggesting ingredient substitutions.
did You Know? The “Cooking Coach” voice assistant is trained on over 30,000 recipes from Delish’s 10-year archive.
Development and Features
Redmon collaborated with Delish editorial director Joanna Saltz and director of product Ashley Szwec to refine the “Cooking Coach” over five months. the voice assistant, accessible via a microphone-enabled pop-up on the Delish site, assists users in selecting and following recipes, offering ingredient swaps, adjusting serving sizes, setting timers, and answering cooking-related questions in multiple languages. The initial version even sported a “Scottish brogue,” according to Saltz, before being refined.
the Cooking Coach is the first AI product for Delish, following Hearst’s Good Housekeeping publication’s AI-powered gift guide from the previous year.
the Publisher’s Push into Generative AI
Publishers are increasingly adopting generative AI products, including chatbots and search assistants, to enhance user engagement and retain audiences on their platforms. This strategic move aims to counter the growing trend of AI products and search engines providing rapid, simplified answers that bypass publishers, perhaps siphoning off traffic. According to a 2024 report by Pew Research Center, 77% of Americans get their news from digital devices [1], highlighting the importance of publishers adapting to digital consumption habits.
Pro Tip: Optimize your content for voice search to capitalize on the growing popularity of voice assistants.
Addressing Traffic Challenges
The rise of AI-generated summaries in search engines poses a challenge to lifestyle publishers, particularly recipe sites, as these summaries can provide complete recipes directly to users. Delish has observed a slight impact on it’s traffic due to these Google AI features. Though, Saltz remains optimistic, emphasizing the importance of innovation and creating engaging, user-pleasant experiences to maintain relevance.
The Future of Voice Assistants and AI in Publishing
Voice assistants are becoming more complex with generative AI, and companies like Amazon are exploring AI licensing partnerships with news publishers to enhance their voice assistant products, such as Alexa. The New York Times’ AI licensing deal with Amazon suggests a potential trend of content powering advanced voice assistant capabilities. While Redmon declined to comment on potential collaborations with Amazon, she acknowledged the value of device-specific integrations.
The Delish team is closely monitoring engagement metrics and user interactions with the “Cooking Coach” to inform future feature expansions. They are also exploring AI-driven improvements to their site’s search function, including natural language search and photo-based search capabilities.
Expert Perspectives
Josh Jaffe, an AI and media consultant, views the “Cooking Coach” as a smart initial step, suggesting that future iterations could incorporate predictive personalization and contextual tips based on user behavior. Ronak Patel, GM of the lifestyle group at Hearst Magazines, believes that this is just the begining of AI’s integration into their platforms.
Jaffe emphasizes that publishers must differentiate their AI experiences through superior UX, tone, and content to compete with generic AI results.
Key Metrics of the Cooking Coach
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Recipes Trained On | Over 30,000 Delish recipes |
| Languages Supported | Multiple languages for global accessibility |
| development Time | 5 months of collaborative development |
What’s Next for AI and Cooking?
The integration of AI into cooking is still in its early stages, but the potential is vast. From personalized recipe recommendations to real-time cooking assistance, AI is poised to transform the way we interact with food. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative solutions that make cooking easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
What features would you like to see in future AI cooking assistants?
How do you think AI will change the way we cook in the next five years?
Evergreen Insights: The Rise of AI in the Kitchen
The integration of AI into the culinary world represents a significant shift in how peopel approach cooking and recipe finding. Historically,cooks relied on cookbooks,family recipes,and culinary training to guide their cooking endeavors. However, the advent of digital technology and AI has opened up new possibilities for personalized and interactive cooking experiences.
AI-powered cooking assistants like Delish’s “Cooking Coach” are part of a broader trend of leveraging AI to enhance various aspects of daily life.From smart home devices to personalized healthcare, AI is increasingly being used to automate tasks, provide insights, and improve overall efficiency. In the context of cooking,AI can analyze user preferences,suggest recipes based on dietary restrictions and available ingredients,and even provide real-time feedback on cooking techniques.
the future of AI in the kitchen is likely to involve even more sophisticated features, such as predictive cooking, where AI anticipates the user’s needs and proactively offers assistance. Such as, an AI cooking assistant could detect that a user is running low on a particular ingredient and automatically suggest option recipes or offer to add the ingredient to a shopping list. As AI technology continues to advance, it has the potential to revolutionize the way we cook, eat, and think about food.
Frequently Asked Questions About AI Cooking Assistants
What is an AI cooking assistant?
An AI cooking assistant is a software application that uses artificial intelligence to help users with various aspects of cooking, such as recipe discovery, meal planning, and cooking guidance.
How does Delish’s Cooking Coach work?
Delish’s Cooking Coach uses OpenAI’s GPT large language model to understand user voice commands and provide personalized assistance with recipe selection, ingredient substitutions, timer management, and cooking-related questions.
What are the benefits of using an AI cooking assistant?
AI cooking assistants can save time, reduce stress, and improve cooking skills by providing personalized guidance and automating tasks. They can also help users discover new recipes and adapt to dietary restrictions.
Are AI cooking assistants accurate?
The accuracy of AI cooking assistants depends on the quality of the data they are trained on and the sophistication of their algorithms. While AI can provide valuable assistance, it’s critically importent to verify information and use common sense when cooking.
Will AI replace human chefs?
While AI can automate certain aspects of cooking,it is unlikely to replace human chefs entirely. Human chefs bring creativity, intuition, and a personal touch to cooking that AI cannot replicate.
how can I access Delish’s Cooking Coach?
You can access Delish’s Cooking Coach by visiting the Delish website and enabling your microphone when prompted. The voice assistant will then be available to assist you with your cooking needs.
Ready to revolutionize your cooking experience? Try Delish’s cooking Coach today and share your culinary creations with us in the comments below! Don’t forget to subscribe for more innovative food tech updates.
