On Thursday, Samsung unveiled a multi-year collaboration with the American grocery delivery service Instacart. This partnership will introduce an innovative feature to the company’s Bespoke Smart Refrigerator series, allowing users to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline their grocery shopping experience.
Samsung to Harness AI for Grocery Ordering
In a recent newsroom announcement, Samsung revealed this upcoming functionality, designed to simplify grocery ordering directly from the refrigerator’s display. Initially, this feature will exclusively be available in the United States, within the new 2025 series of Bespoke refrigerators equipped with screens.
Samsung stated that the AI capability will be implemented in both the 32-inch AI Family Hub screen and the 9-inch AI Home screen models. Utilizing Samsung’s AI Vision Inside technology, these smart refrigerators will detect when users are running low on specific grocery items.
Through Instacart’s product-matching application programming interface (API), recognized items will be automatically added to the user’s shopping cart. Users can then finalize their orders directly from the refrigerator’s interface.
Additionally, Samsung confirmed that the new Instacart integration will be available to existing Bespoke refrigerators with AI Family Hub screens via an over-the-network (OTN) update. However, specific details regarding the timeline for older models to receive this functionality remain unclear.
It’s important to note some limitations. The service will function only in regions where Instacart operates. Currently, AI Vision Inside can identify up to 37 types of food items, meaning any unrecognized items’ names and expiration dates will need to be input manually. Furthermore, the AI does not have the capability to identify or register items stored in the refrigerator’s door bins or in the freezer compartment.
