The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization, announced that Justin Honaman, head of worldwide retail and consumer goods go-to-market at Amazon/AWS, will join a panel of food industry leaders for the opening keynote address, “Revolutionizing Food Innovation Through AI,” at IFT First, which is taking place at McCormick Place in Chicago July 14-17. The event will be taking place from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. on July 15.
 
Other panelists will include Nora Khaldi, founder and CEO at the biotech company Nuritas, and Asch Harwood, vice president of data and insights at ReFED.
 
Honaman, Khaldi, and Harwood will discuss synergies between AI-driven innovation and the global food science community. This will include advancements in predictive analytics, precision engineering, biotechnology, and product development.
 
In his role, Honaman leads the food and beverage segment of the world’s largest retailer, with former experience in roles with Coca-Cola, Georgia Pacific, Accenture, and EY, specializing in supply chain management, e-commerce, data analytics, and digital engagement.
 
Khaldi holds a PhD in molecular evolution and bioinformatics, and developed research tools used in over 70 countries. She is a mathematician and computer scientist with over 60 patents, and is at the vanguard of integrating AI into the food and beverage industry through Nuritas, which has built the largest library of natural peptides with over 8 million food peptides discovered.
 
Harwood leads the development and delivery of information and accompanying technical products, including the ReFED Insights Engine, which will help reduce food waste. He has spent over a decade working in various roles involving social change, data, design, and technology, with notable roles at the Council on Foreign Relations and UNICEF.
 
“Artificial intelligence has the power to massively change the way the global food system operates. Many recognize AI’s immense value but are unclear on how or when to incorporate it, which is why IFT is launching a series of pre-event and onsite educational opportunities where attendees can learn from some of the top AI experts in the world, including our opening keynote speakers,” said Christie Tarantino-Dean, CEO of IFT. “Justin, Nora, and Asch will leverage their leadership experience at industry-disrupting organizations to show how companies of all sizes in the science of food community can use AI to innovate new products, quickly solve problems, and transform the global food system at large.”
 
AI will be a prominent theme at IFT FIRST, and in the months leading up to the event. A virtual workshop, “Unlocking the Power of Artificial Intelligence in Food Virtual Workshop,” will include four 90-minute online sessions over three weeks beginning in late April. The program will run from 12:00-1:30 p.m. CDT on April 23, 25, 30, and May 7, and will be taught by Tasio co-founders Dray McFarlane, enterprise solution architect, and Thomas Altman, applied data modeling. Attendees will learn how AI works on a technical level, master prompt engineering, discover cutting-edge tools and real-world use cases, and gain a greater understanding of using AI ethically and safely.
 
From July 13-14, there will also be an in-person workshop, “Exploring Artificial Intelligence for Next-Level Food Innovation,” which will dive further into AI and advanced topics like large language models in business and food, movement and sensory inputs, and machine learning tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.