Zomato Ends AI Food Image Use

MUMBAI: Zomato has announced a significant policy shift, banning the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated food images on its platform. This decision, communicated by CEO Deepinder Goyal via microblogging site X, follows numerous customer complaints regarding misleading visuals of food and dishes.

Goyal highlighted that these AI-generated images have led to breaches of trust between customers and restaurants, resulting in increased refund requests and diminished customer ratings. In his statement, Goyal emphasised that AI-generated images, while technologically advanced, often fail to accurately represent the actual dishes offered by restaurants. This discrepancy has not only eroded consumer confidence but also negatively impacted the dining experience by creating unrealistic expectations.

Consequently, Zomato will commence removing such images from restaurant menus by the end of this month and will implement measures to detect and reject new AI-generated submissions. Restaurant partners are urged to cease using AI-generated images and instead invest in authentic food photography. Zomato has offered a solution for this transition, providing a pass-through cost photo shoot service to restaurant owners through its catalogue support team. This service is intended to help restaurants obtain high-quality, genuine images of their dishes, free from profit-making by Zomato.

Additionally, Zomato’s marketing team has been instructed to refrain from using AI-generated images in promotional materials, reinforcing the company’s commitment to authenticity. The move reflects Zomato’s broader strategy to enhance transparency and trust within its platform, ensuring that customers receive a more accurate representation of what they are ordering. By prioritising real images over AI-generated ones, Zomato aims to foster a more reliable and satisfactory dining experience for its users, addressing a critical gap that has emerged in the digital food ordering landscape.