Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Chocolatiers?

To many people, it feels like we are living in the future. With technology continually getting better and machines taking over many simple tasks, the past is well behind us. However, these conveniences have led to some worries about being replaced. Many jobs have already been taken over by robots and artificial intelligence, and people in a variety of industries are worried that they too could be replaced.

When it comes to chocolate, is it possible that AI could replace our beloved chocolatiers? Technology has already permeated the industry with sorting machines, stronger machines for harvesting cacao, and far more widespread distribution options. But chocolatiers have been around as long as we’ve known about the delicious bean, and the human element has long been considered an important part of the trade.

In some cases, chocolatiers may be replaced by robots and their jobs taken over by artificial intelligence. But it is not likely that AI will replace the chocolatier for good. Cheaper, mass produced chocolate may benefit from the technologies behind AI and robotics, but gourmet, high-quality chocolate will always be made by well-trained, highly practiced chocolatiers who are dedicated to the craft.

Like any other food, robots can only take us so far. Although fast food restaurants have replaced many aspects of the eating process with machines, there are still people involved in putting the food together, and at a higher level, in creating the recipes that please millions of people a day. Even if you can replace the final cook behind the counter, someone still needs to put together the ideas to create a dish.

The same can be said for chocolate. You don’t just harvest a bean and automatically have a delicious chocolate dish. Instead, a chocolatier spends days and sometimes weeks coming up with the perfect recipe for a tasty chocolate treat. A robot simply can’t do that because it doesn’t have taste buds and there are no emotional connections to the craft when it comes to artificial intelligence.

While a chocolatier may have an easier job thanks to the use of robotic technology, he still has to come up with new ideas and create flavor combinations that only a human could enjoy. Chocolate is considered a delicacy to many, and society will not allow for it all to be commoditized. Much like how gourmet chefs are appreciated for their abilities, chocolatiers are known as professional specialists who perform an important job and keep people happy.

So, if you’re worried about chocolatiers disappearing, we don’t think that is going to happen any time soon. People have great respect for the craft of making delicious chocolate, and a robot simply can’t identify with humans enough to continue to come up with the ideas procured by chocolatiers. It’s possible the final product will be put together by a robot, but there is still a human behind that robot that did most of the hard work and research.