Everyone eats. Many people cook. But few are aware of the unique creative challenges facing professional product developers in flavor and food product companies. Each year, roughly 15,000 new food products are introduced. An estimated 90 percent fail. No AI solutions existed to assist product developers with these creative challenges. In this talk, Dr. Lougee will present a novel AI system for compositional product development. The AI system is in use at McCormick & Company, a leader in flavor and food innovation. McCormick launched its first AI-enabled flavor products in the retail market in 2019.  Media coverage of the milestone included the front page of a special section in the Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Robin Lougee is the Associate Vice President for Advanced Analytics at Ascena and the Vice President for Practice of INFORMS, the leading international association for analytics professionals. Robin has over 20 patent filings. She is the recipient of the INFORMS Impact Prize for her pioneering work in open-source software and the INFORMS Kimball Medal. Robin currently serves on the National Academy of Sciences’ Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources and advisory councils at the University of Florida, Cornell University, and Miami Dade College. 

The AI Speaker Series at MDC aims to provide students, professionals, and community members with first-hand knowledge of the latest AI trends and practices by inviting renowned AI professionals to share their experience and discuss how AI is impacting all industries.