Artificial intelligence to steer conversations at IFT First

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Artificial intelligence to steer conversations at IFT First

7 May 2026

Lily Cota

Lily Cota is a writer, editor and photographer from Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in English and a minor in Photography. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading fantasy novels, thrifting, trying out local coffee shops and spending time with her nieces.

CHICAGO — The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)’s annual trade show, set for -15 in Chicago, is fast approaching, with a strategic focus on the future of food guiding the event.

In particular, IFT FIRST will home in on AI and its role in advancing health-driven food innovation, specifically in the realm of sustainability and food security. The expo will feature programming and exhibitions focused on the next generation of AI-supported food innovation.

The artificial intelligence keynote, “Designing with Intelligence: Practical AI for Faster, Smarter, Safer Food Innovation,” will feature Alon Chen, CEO and co-founder of Tastewise, who will share real-world use cases in which AI converts consumer signals into science-based decisions for product developers and R&D leaders. The keynote will be hosted by Jay Gilbert, PhD, director of CoDeveloper, IFT’s proprietary AI-powered R&D platform.

“IFT FIRST attendees will get to experience first-hand what comes next with AI and how they can better leverage it for product development, technical problem solving, insights and operations,” Gilbert said.

“AI can speed formulation, strengthen quality and consistency with predictive tools and turn consumer signals into better decisions, but only when it’s built on trusted data, validated by humans and guided by strong governance.” — Jay Gilbert, PhD | director, CoDeveloper and digital products | Institute of Food Technologists

Since its debut at IFT FIRST 2025, CoDeveloper has helped food companies around the world accelerate their R&D efforts with science-backed models.

“AI is already reshaping nearly every part of the food ecosystem, and it’s here to stay,” Gilbert added. “The advantage will go to teams that use it to amplify expertise, not replace it. AI can speed formulation, strengthen quality and consistency with predictive tools and turn consumer signals into better decisions, but only when it’s built on trusted data, validated by humans and guided by strong governance.”

From AI-dedicated sessions to a guided AI tour, IFT FIRST will explore how AI is being applied to food research, product development, manufacturing and quality by connecting attendees with AI-enabled tools and platforms.

For more information and to see the full list of AI sessions, visit the IFT website.

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