Big Brands Harnessing AI To Make Packaging More Sustainable

A lot of questions are swirling around the concept of artificial intelligence right now. For business owners, the question is how to harness the tech for increased performance and productivity. For employees, many fear that AI is a threat to their career and financial security. 

Indeed, according to Goldman Sachs, AI will directly impact up to 300 million jobs world wide. It is important to stress that the keyword there is impact - rather than replace. Anyone who has used Chat GPT to provide answers will tell you that the software as it stands - is far from infallible. 

However, artificial intelligence could still have the potential to solve a lot of the issues currently facing the world. One example of this relates to the packaging industry. 

According to the latest data in the UK alone, 2.5 million paper cups are thrown away each year. Due to poor recycling solutions, many end up in landfills, despite the fact that they are 100% recyclable. This is supported by a report from Valpak which claims that the UK has the capacity to recycle all the paper cups within the market. 

This is where AI enters the picture through Bower. Bower is a recycling reward technology. Users of Bower can scan items with a barcode or snap a photo to identify any material. They will then be able to locate the nearest drop off location and ensure every item they purchase is recycled or disposed of correctly. 

Now, the technology has been adapted to screen paper cups via a world-first AI-based trial run. The solution utilises photographic detection and will require consumers to download the app, scanning for returns of 5p per cup. The software uses AI object detection technology, developed in collaboration with Google, 

The trial run has been set up in Cardiff, Wales by the National Cup Recycling Scheme and Keep Wales Tidy working in collaboration with Bower. It will include paper cups from major brands including Mcdonald’s, Greggs, Pret a Manger, Costa Coffee, and Caffe Nero. 

The new collaboration highlights how brands, communities, and technology can come together to tackle the issue of recycling waste together, leaning to a greener, greater world overall. 

It is hoped the project will both raise awareness around recycling, while also providing brands insights into how consumers are interacting with their products and the packaging that they choose. Ultimately, the project demonstrates how the latest technology like AI could help make the world a greener place. 

So, while main people are ringing the doomsday bells regarding AI and other similar technologies, it’s important to note that they could be an incredible tool and useful for businesses formulating their future sustainability strategies. 

What does this mean for small businesses? While industry leaders concern themselves with whether or not AI is the great saviour or a speedrun to Armageddon, explore how you can use the technology in your business model to make a difference. With innovative thinking and the right strategies, it could be the best solution to solve big business problems.