Just Eat apologised after its AI-generated food images sparked ridicule on social media, with the system producing nonsensical dishes that confused culinary terms and visual elements.
The online delivery platform had been testing artificial intelligence to create pictures for restaurants lacking existing food imagery. The results included bacon and eggs floating in a glass of cola, the AI having confused "soda" with "soda bread". Chips emerged from muffins after the system misinterpreted "chip muffin", a UK term for chips in bread. A cheese roll transformed into sushi. Garlic bread appeared as a plane shape, possibly due to spelling mistakes on menus.
A Just Eat spokesperson told the BBC the company was "in the process of removing" the incorrect images and would pause further AI generation until the technology improved. "We work with tens of thousands of small restaurants on their food imagery, including funding professional local photographers," the spokesperson said. "We've been trialling AI-enhanced images, and as with any new technology, it isn't always quite right the first time."
Images created using AI carry a label on the delivery app, though many unusual versions remained visible on menus when the BBC checked. Users on the Just Eat UK subreddit and Instagram account uknewestfoods documented the mistakes over recent days.
The incident shows persistent challenges companies face when deploying AI to interpret context-specific language. Regional food terminology, abbreviated menu descriptions and spelling variations confused the system's visual translation process.
One Instagram user questioned the value of AI images even if technically accurate, stating: "I want to see what the dish actually looks like as it helps me decide who to order from or what to order. These 'perfect' AI versions just lead to disappointment if that's what you think your meal will look like." Others on social media said they found the images entertaining, though one remarked the results "just helped my diet".