"Artificial Intelligence will surpass human intelligence by 2025." This prophecy from Elon Musk makes us reflect deeply on the role that AI (Artificial Intelligence) has carved out in contemporary society. Be honest: how many of you can say you have never, and I emphasize never, used ChatGPT to correct, expand, or even write a text? And how many of you have used it to create more or less professional videos and images?

The “From Italy to the World” Project

While we wait to see if the entrepreneur from Pretoria is right, with just a year to go, AI has quietly entered the world of bars as well. The Italian case study is Iter on the Navigli in Milan, located at Via Mario Fusetti 1. Opened in September 2017, this fusion bar with a kitchen, part of the Farmily Group, has been associated with the concept of travel from its inception. A true gastronomic airport that highlights Italian culinary tradition while keeping its gate open to flavors and cultural influences from around the world.

After a vibrant season dedicated to the flavors of Mexico, the “From Italy to the World” project has landed on the shores of the Norwegian Sea to explore the pristine nature of the fjords and the breathtaking views of this magical land under the Northern Lights. The novelty, however, is that Iter has not only gone beyond national borders but has also chosen to embrace technology, creating the first synergy between humans and AI in Italian mixology.

“From September 2023 to March 2024, we used artificial intelligence to tell the story of Norway in an unexpected way, in the creation of our food and drink offerings, our social media communication, and the decor of our venue. At Iter, every time we change our cocktail and food menus, we truly honor the country we are featuring from all perspectives,” explains Carlo Dall’Asta of the Farmily Group.

The Drink List and Communication

“The drink list was a collaborative effort between artificial intelligence and our bartenders, with the Norwegian brand Bareksten as the main protagonist. We asked ChatGPT to create a series of eight cocktails with specific characteristics, preparations, and ingredients, although this was just the initial blueprint. Our bartenders revised these to make the drinks more complete and up-to-date with current trends, as ChatGPT only gathers information up to 2021 for safety reasons,” continues Carlo Dall’Asta.

On the communication front, AI enabled Iter’s staff to create a truly interactive experience: “We used artificial intelligence to create fake images of cocktails or to enhance photos we took in Norway, enlarging them exponentially or adding/removing people, and then displayed them in our venue. This led to a game with our guests, asking them to identify which images were real and which were computer-generated. Well, not everyone guessed correctly…”

The Outcome

“For us, it was very enjoyable to interact with AI and understand the power and potential of this new technology. Will we use it again? For now, no, but Japan is coming at the end of September, so something might happen,” concludes Carlo Dall’Asta. In other words: artificial intelligence is now part of our daily lives, and we must accept, understand, and make the most of it, just as Iter has done.