Zomato has officially prohibited the use of AI-generated images by restaurant partners, a decision effective from September 16, 2024.
This move aims to maintain authenticity and respond to customer concerns about misleading food representations.
CEO Deepinder Goyal stated that customer complaints revealed AI-generated images often misrepresented dishes, leading to breaches of trust, increased refunds, and lower ratings for restaurants.
Why Zomato Banned AI-Generated Images
Customer Complaints: Many customers reported dissatisfaction with AI-generated food images, which frequently misrepresented the actual dish.
This feedback resulted in higher refund rates and negative reviews, affecting both Zomato and its restaurant partners.
Preserving Authenticity: Zomato sees the rise of AI-generated imagery as a threat to the authenticity of food listings.
The ban aims to ensure that customers receive an accurate visual representation of the dishes they are ordering, strengthening trust between restaurants and diners.
Proactive Measures: While only 10% of Zomato’s 276,000 restaurant partners currently use AI-generated images, the company acted early to prevent the issue from growing.
Zomato has developed AI tools capable of detecting AI-generated images with 90% accuracy to enforce this policy.
Support for Restaurant Partners
To help restaurants adapt, Zomato is offering discounted professional photoshoot services.
These shoots are priced between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000, far below market rates.
Restaurants that fail to comply with the new policy risk being removed from the platform.
Competitive Landscape
Zomato’s approach contrasts with its competitor, Swiggy, which is offering AI-powered photoshoot services to its restaurant partners.
This indicates differing strategies in the food delivery market regarding the use of AI for promotional imagery.
