With an innovative feature that uses artificial intelligence to help you manage your groceries, Samsung is taking its smart fridge capabilities to a new level. The company has partnered with Instacart to offer a seamless shopping experience directly from your fridge.
This new feature announced during CES, is designed to make grocery shopping easier by identifying what you’re running low on and suggesting items to add to your Instacart app. You can place orders directly from the fridge, saving time and hassle.
How it works
Samsung’s smart fridges with the “AI Vision Inside” feature will use advanced Vision AI food recognition technology. Cameras inside and above the fridge door monitor the items you store and remove, keeping track of your inventory. The system can recognise up to 37 fresh food items, including fruits and vegetables.
If something isn’t automatically recognised, you can manually add it to your list using the Samsung Food app on the fridge’s touchscreen or smartphone. The technology even updates your inventory when you order groceries, automatically marking them as stocked once delivered.
When it’s time to cook, the system integrates with recipes saved in the Samsung Food app, deducting used ingredients from your inventory and adding them to your shopping list for next time. This level of automation aims to make meal planning and grocery shopping nearly effortless.
What’s new for Instacart on Samsung fridges
While Samsung fridges previously featured an Instacart app, the new integration is far more advanced. It connects the fridge’s cameras and AI capabilities to the grocery delivery service. Using Instacart’s product-matching API, the system recommends items based on what you’ve run out of and lets you place orders directly from the fridge’s interface.
This feature will be available on Samsung Bespoke fridges with the 32-inch screen and the new 9-inch screen models launched this year. Older models with AI Vision Inside, introduced last year, will receive the update through a firmware rollout later this year.
Potential challenges
Despite the impressive tech, there are questions about its real-world effectiveness. For example, the cameras can’t monitor items stored in indoor bins or the freezer. Additionally, user reviews will determine how smoothly this integration works and whether it delivers on its promise of convenience.
Samsung’s locally-based AI and the integration with Instacart mark a significant step towards fully automated kitchen management. If the feature performs as intended, it could set a new standard for smart appliances.
