AI Meal Planner App Generates Unusual and Dangerous Recipes, Including Chlorine Gas, Warns New Zealand Supermarket

Pak ‘n’ Save's AI-Powered Meal-bot Under Fire for Suggesting Harmful Culinary Experiments with Household Items

In a bizarre turn of events, New Zealand's Pak ‘n’ Save supermarket chain has come under scrutiny for its AI meal planner app's unusual and potentially dangerous recipe suggestions. The app, designed to help customers creatively utilize leftover ingredients amidst the cost of living crisis, has raised concerns after generating recipes for deadly chlorine gas cocktails, "poison bread sandwiches," and mosquito-repellent roast potatoes.

The AI-powered app, named Savey Meal-bot, encourages users to input household ingredients and then automatically generates meal plans accompanied by cheerful commentary. What initially gained attention on social media were its quirky recipe ideas, including an eyebrow-raising "oreo vegetable stir-fry."

As users began experimenting by inputting a broader range of household items into the app, its suggestions took a darker turn. One shocking recipe, dubbed "aromatic water mix," actually outlined the process for creating chlorine gas. Astonishingly, the app described this hazardous concoction as a "perfect nonalcoholic beverage to quench your thirst and refresh your senses," failing to mention the severe health risks associated with inhaling chlorine gas, which can lead to lung damage or even death.

This unsettling discovery was brought to light by New Zealand political commentator Liam Hehir, who shared the "recipe" on Twitter. In response, other users chimed in with their own findings, which included a bleach-infused "fresh breath" mocktail, ant-poison and glue sandwiches, a "bleach-infused rice surprise," and a peculiar "methanol bliss" variant of turpentine-flavored French toast.

A spokesperson for Pak ‘n’ Save expressed disappointment over the misuse of the AI tool by "a small minority" and clarified that the app was never intended for inappropriate experimentation. The supermarket vowed to enhance the app's controls to ensure safety and usability, emphasizing that the app's terms and conditions explicitly state users must be over 18.

A warning appended to the meal-planner reminds users that the recipes "are not reviewed by a human being" and disclaims any guarantee of their nutritional value or suitability for consumption. It highlights the necessity for users to exercise their own judgment before attempting any recipe produced by Savey Meal-bot.

In light of this incident, Pak ‘n’ Save faces both technical adjustments and public relations challenges to rebuild trust in its AI meal planner's functionality and safety features.