KFC taps into the modern conversation with a clever campaign that shows some will do ‘A.I.nything for the Taste’ of its Finger Lickin’ Good food.
The past few weeks saw a mysterious South African AI launch making headlines and causing a stir on social media. The AI, known as KAIIA, reported to be fluent in 11 local languages, trained for local nuance and fine-tuned to Mzansi culture, was leaked via a network of tech enthusiasts.
KAIIA, which stands for Kentucky AI Integrated Assistant, is the star of the brand’s latest TV and cinema commercial in which it goes to extraordinary lengths for the taste of KFC.
KAIIA is a large language model with the functionality of a normal AI. However, when you speak to her, you will soon find out that not only is she distinctly South African, but that she’s also obsessed with chicken.
KAIIA is real and a purpose-built AI model that is ready for public use.
KFC Africa Chief Marketing Officer, Grant Macpherson, says the brand loves pushing boundaries and surprising consumers with its campaigns, showing the lengths people (and now an AI) will go to for the taste of KFC.
“The unofficial taste inspector campaign is one everyone remembers, and last year we featured scientists spending a year on Marion Island and pining so hard that two of them set off home in a dinghy clutching a KFC shopping list,” Macpherson says.
“Bringing these stories to life with our incredible partners at Ogilvy has been a blast. This time around, we wanted to tap into the conversations people are having every day — AI, or as I like to call it, ‘Are the robots taking over?’ The advances in AI are on everyone’s lips, so we thought — why not put it on everyone’s taste buds too? Our idea is to ride the wave of relevance by creating a campaign that taps into the modern zeitgeist, sparks conversation and gives Mzansi a chance to engage with the tech in a fun and lighthearted way,” adds Macpherson.
Macpherson says, *”Sure, AI can help me check the spelling in this quote and generate an endless stream of cat memes — but you’ve got to feel a bit sorry for it. I mean, what’s life (even artificial life) without the pleasure of our world-famous 11 herbs and spices?”*
KFC concludes that as an AI large language model AI assistant, KAIIA, the work of Methodlab in Cape Town, will be fully operational to the public from Tuesday, 24 June. It can interact fluently in eleven of South Africa’s official languages, and its responses are built around local culture and nuanced according to which language is being used.
AI in the Global Food Industry
KFC isn’t the first to experiment with AI in fast food.
McDonald’s has tested AI-powered drive-thrus in the US, while Domino’s uses chatbots for seamless ordering.
In China, Haidilao’s AI restaurants customize dining experiences, and Starbucks employs AI for predictive ordering. KAIIA stands out by embracing South Africa’s linguistic diversity, making AI engagement more personal and culturally relevant.
With KAIIA, KFC proves that even artificial intelligence can crave the Colonel’s secret recipe, blending tech, humour, and irresistible flavour.
