In a world where the potential impact of artificial intelligence sparks both fear and fascination, PepsiCo has harnessed AI for a more practical purpose that resonates with gamers. The quintessential gaming snack, Doritos, often poses a challenge for players communicating via headset microphones due to distracting crunching sounds. To the rescue comes "Doritos Silent," dubbed as the "world's first AI-augmented snack powered by crunch cancellation" in a promotional video by PepsiCo.
The concept behind Doritos Silent is to allow gamers to enjoy their favorite snack without worrying about disturbing fellow players. This innovation includes not just the snack itself but also free downloadable software (currently compatible with Windows PCs only).
The development of this product involved over six months of work, during which artificial intelligence and machine learning analyzed more than 5,000 crunch sounds. Dylan Fashbaugh, a lead developer at Smooth Technology in New York, expressed the sentiment, "We all know that gamers love Doritos, but that unmistakable crunch can often disrupt those intense gaming moments. We've worked to ensure gamers can enjoy the crunch of Doritos without disturbing their fellow players, making for a better gaming experience."
While some may view Doritos Silent as a trivial development or a marketing gimmick, it highlights the strong attraction of marketers to the video game industry. The gaming industry is expected to generate $188 billion in revenue globally in 2023, a 2.6% increase from 2022, with an estimated 3.4 billion players worldwide. This expansive market presents opportunities for companies like PepsiCo to innovate and cater to gamers' needs, even in the most unexpected ways.