Drink more tahini! AI fails to convince when it comes to intelligence

I've always had my doubts about the intelligence of AI.

AI writing is pretty easy to spot for starters. AI research often has huge holes, and some of the AI videos I've seen have been laughably bad. 

And a press release I received this week increased my prejudices. 

The nub of the story: An AI platform has identified tahini as a top emerging ingredient for alcoholic beverages innovation in 2025.

Now I don't mind tahini, a creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds, as part of a mezze plate. It pairs pretty well with Greek and Lebanese dishes.

But, like its companion dips hummus and taramasalata, I have never thought about drinking it.

GlobalData's AI Palette innovation and consumer insights platform tells me tahini's consumer appeal lies in its alignment with the current trends of health and wellness, sensory and indulgence and authenticity and heritage.

Leveraging the world's largest consumer data lake, with points collected in real-time from social media, e-commerce, and foodservice menus, GlobalData’s AI Palette platform boasts that it delivers powerful insights into emerging flavours and ingredients, as well as category opportunities.

Alice Popple-Connelly, a consumer analyst at GlobalData, said: “Tahini, known for its high content of healthy fats, protein, calcium, and iron, is experiencing a surge in popularity among consumers worldwide."

But why would I want to drink it Poppy? 

Tahini recorded a two-year consumer engagement CAGR of 910% in the UK alcohol industry (2022-2024), as measured by the platform during the review period in March 2025. 

Right. 

So this makes tahini a prime candidate for inclusion in alcoholic beverages brands' innovation strategy in the UK market. Hopefully not in Australia, then. 

Apparently, tahini’s ability to create a creamy texture would be a perfect fit with the UK stout category. Tahini can enhance the traditional dark brown aesthetic of stout while introducing a distinctive nutty, woody undertone, helping it stand out in the market. 

“Tahini's consumer appeal is rooted in its health benefits, natural composition, culinary versatility, cultural relevance, and alignment with contemporary food trends," says Popple-Connelly. 

"These attributes render tahini a compelling ingredient for a broad spectrum of consumers in search of nutritious and flavourful choices.”

I remain unconvinced that I want to drink it.