Now Reading: Swiggy, Zomato AI food photos mislead hungry customers
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Swiggy, Zomato AI food photos mislead hungry customers
The Hindu reports that AI-generated food images on Swiggy and Zomato are becoming harder for customers to spot, with many restaurants using hyper-realistic photos of dishes that do not exist. Swiggy’s own…
The Story in Brief
The Hindu reports that AI-generated food images on Swiggy and Zomato are becoming harder for customers to spot, with many restaurants using hyper-realistic photos of dishes that do not exist. Swiggy’s own AI disclaimer is easily missed unless users enlarge the image. In November 2023, Swiggy launched an 'AI-Fuelled Photoshoot' feature to brighten menu photos, but text-to-image models now let eateries show food they cannot cook.
In August 2024, Zomato’s then-CEO Deepinder Goyal said the company strongly discourages AI-generated food images, citing customer complaints about breach of trust, higher refunds, and lower ratings. However, The Hindu found several eateries on Zomato still using heavily edited or synthetic-looking photos. While platforms and restaurants profit, the hungry customer gets a disappointing meal.
The Indian Opinion
The usual blame will fall on AI, but the real issue is restaurants choosing fake images over honest ones and platforms enforcing rules lazily or not at all. Swiggy’s tiny AI disclaimer buried in an enlarged photo is almost designed to be ignored. Zomato bans AI images yet still hosts obviously fake pizzas. The hungry customer loses, as The Hindu says. A simple test: will delivery apps refund on the spot when the real dish clearly does not match the photo, without harassment?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
