What to expect:
The Wine World in Tech Times
What do the new technologies mean for the wine industry? Robert Joseph, Editor-at-large at Meininger's International, outlines a picture of the industry's present and future, shaped by technology.
Artificial Intelligence has swiftly integrated into our daily lives and become crucial in the business world as well. However, the intricacies of AI remain elusive to many. Hans-Christian Boos, a trailblazer in Germany's AI field, aims to demystify: elucidating what AI is capable of achieving and its limitations.
Exploring the extent of technology's integration into the wine industry requires a current analysis of its digital transformation. Prof. Dr. Simone Loose, a distinguished wine scientist from Geisenheim University, provides an update with the most recent data on the industry's technological status.
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Microchips in the Vineyard, Robots in the Cellar: Wine Production Goes Tech
With NASA - Technology to more sustainability:
With the help of computers, sprays can be applied precisely and in a way that conserves resources and the environment - this has been common practice for a long time. The longstanding practice of employing computers for precise and eco-friendly pesticide application is now joined by the innovation of NASA camera technology. This technology can survey vineyards from above, identifying vine diseases early enough for preemptive treatment, a breakthrough explained by American researcher Fernando Romera Galvan.
AI cuts the vines:
The challenge of a widespread skilled labor shortage in viticulture is also being addressed, with tasks requiring both highly trained staff and advanced AI solutions. Dr. Matthias Porten and Dirk Hübener are leading efforts in this area, developing AI-powered glasses that assist vineyard workers with accurate pruning.
Best practice: How do large wineries use new technologies?
- The robot cellar:
Félix Solís Avantis, Spain's second-largest wine company, opened its "robot cellar," valued at over €70m, just last year. In this facility, nearly all operations are electronically managed, which also results in increased production capacity.
- Big data for big terroir:
This is the approach of Italy’s third-largest cooperative, Cavit. In collaboration with its members, it has been gathering detailed data on specific locations for years, enabling the best strategic and operational decisions to be made, from choosing the right varietals and managing plant protection to determining the optimal time for harvest.
Digital Sommeliers and Virtual Reality Retail: The Wine Market Goes Tech
In 2023, the first AI-generated wine was born. It was created by two French wine entrepreneurs, Anthony Aubert and Jean-Charles Mathieu – and ChatGPT. How and why they did it, how the market has reacted – and most importantly, how the wine tastes – will be revealed in their presentation with tasting.
The "Bullwhip Effect," familiar to those in wine distribution, illustrates how discrepancies between supply and demand can escalate throughout the supply chain, posing increased risks in order management. Technology entrepreneur Eric Weisz discusses whether AI could be the key to resolving this issue.
When customers shop, they leave behind a plethora of data. The key is to pick it up, process it, and create tailor-made offers that are highly likely to result in purchases. This is something AI can now handle – if you know how. This is demonstrated by AI and customer journey expert Stefan Kolle in his lecture “How to use AI and personalization to sell more wine”.
Wine & …
... the Metaverse:
The prospect of navigating a virtual environment with an avatar, engaging in purchases of apparel, accessories, and food on a digital main street, might sound somewhat fantastical. However, innovator Lorenzo Biscontin is confident that this digital frontier will extend to the B2B wine marketplace. Participants are invited to journey through his Metaverse platform, Vinophila.com, offering a preview into the digital evolution of wine trading.
... NFTs:
The buzz around Non-fungible Tokens (NFTs) has been resonating within the wine community for a while. This raises important questions: What fundamentals underpin this technology, and does it offer tangible benefits to the wine industry, such as safeguarding against counterfeits? Or are Bitcoin, digital wallets, and blockchain technology not quite fitting with the wine industry's traditional values? NFT expert Ed Prinz will provide clarity on these topics, examining how digital innovation could enhance the authenticity and value in the wine market.
A New Sense of Technology
Human-provided sensory data is often marred by inaccuracies and imprecision, a stance firmly held by Tastry. Their innovative response? Employing chemical analysis coupled with AI evaluation, which they believe has the potential to surpass human tasters in accurately assessing and categorizing wine. CEO Katerina Axelsson details the approach they are taking or plan to take to realize this ambition.
The process of drafting tasting notes, labeling wines, and providing wine recommendations based on individual preferences or specific dishes involves significant labor. However, AI-based systems are emerging as promising solutions to efficiently undertake these tasks in the future. An example of such technology is the sommelier.bot by Johannes Nielsen, now in use on an international scale. Nielsen sets his invention against Master of Wine Konstantin Baum in a direct comparison to discover live which yields the better outcome: the expertise of a human or the precision of a machine?
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