The NYT Cooking app is testing AI recipe modifications

The New York Times is experimenting with an artificial intelligence feature for its Cooking app that allows users to modify recipes according to their needs. This new tool, announced last Friday by NYT Cooking senior editor Genevieve Ko, can offer ingredient and equipment substitutions, adjust the number of servings, and make recipes compatible with various pans and tools.

For example, the AI would suggest adding baby spinach later in the cooking process if a user opts for it instead of kale due to its faster wilting nature. Ko explained that customized recipes remain private and cannot be shared on the app. The AI modification feature is being introduced gradually while the NYT observes its performance and is currently accessible to all subscribers of the iOS version of the Cooking app.

It will be rolled out more widely in the future. Some NYT readers have expressed concerns about the environmental impact of widespread AI adoption and the potential negative effects on the user experience. When asked if users could disable the AI feature, Ko stated that it is currently "completely optional to use." This isn't the first time the NYT Cooking app has utilized AI; two years ago, it converted imperial volume measurements to metric weight, and last year, it added a feature to halve or double the serving size of recipes.

The comments section for the new AI feature announcement article has been closed, but NYT spokesperson Jordan Cohen stated that this is customary practice.