Zomato bans AI-generated images from food menus to preserve authenticity

Effective from Monday (September 16), restaurants that fail to comply with the new rule against AI images will be removed from Zomato

Zomato has announced a ban on the use of AI-generated images in restaurant menus and promotional materials, becoming the first digital marketplace to address the issue of distinguishing between real and artificial imagery.

Effective from Monday, September 16, restaurants that fail to comply with the new rule will be removed from the platform, according to a report by Financial Express quoting Rakesh Ranjan, chief executive officer of Zomato’s food ordering and delivery division.

Tackling the issue early

Currently, only 10 per cent of Zomato’s 276,000 restaurant partners use AI in some capacity, with 2 per cent relying entirely on AI-generated images. However, Zomato views the increasing use of AI in this context as a threat to authenticity.

“We implemented this because we saw the issue beginning to surface. While it isn’t widespread yet, it is essential to address it early,” said Ranjan. Zomato also claims to have developed AI tools capable of distinguishing between real and AI-generated images with 90 per cent accuracy.

Support for restaurants in transition

To assist restaurants during this transition, Zomato is offering discounted photoshoots through its network partners. Depending on the proportion of the menu requiring photography, the service costs between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000. For comparison, a small restaurant typically spends between Rs 7,000 and Rs 15,000 to cover 70 per cent of its menu with professional photos.

While Zomato is taking a firm stance on AI-generated images, Ranjan acknowledged that AI remains crucial in areas like food cataloguing and nutrition labelling across the food delivery and quick commerce sectors.

In contrast, Zomato’s competitor, Swiggy, is adopting a different approach by providing its restaurant partners with AI-powered photoshoot services through its collaboration with Spyne.ai. Swiggy also offers an accelerator programme, rewarding restaurants that meet a certain threshold of images.