ChatGPT-4o and how communication is never going to be the same again

It’s about time I start talking about ai and directly sharing my experience with ChatGPT-4o. I have just put my hands on it today and realize this is going to change everything forever in my profession as well as in the business in general.

Today I want to share one small use case that I happened to test for my work that I thought would be interesting for more people to read. Hope you enjoy it!

Exploring Consumer Awareness and Acceptance of Alternative Proteins with ChatGPT-4o

As someone deeply involved in the food ingredients sector, I’ve come to realize that understanding the relationship between end consumers perception and communication of source ingredients of their food is becoming key.

This connection is the link between consumer satisfaction and experience with the finished product and the information and messaging (claims) on food packaging/promotions. It’s a complex interplay, as every piece of information must be backed by rigorous scientific studies and regulatory approvals but it should also speak and evoke something meaningful for the consumers.

This is why nutritional brands and food product producers/manufactures have always been relying on science and published researchers for their nutritional statements and in general the product communication around “health” (in the broader sense).

Historically, accessing and analyzing research was a laborious task. It required a deep knowledge of where to look, long hours of sifting through journals and publications, and, before the advent of digitalization, even physical visits to libraries. The digital age brought some relief, making scientific papers more accessible online. However, finding the right keywords, navigating through Google Scholar and other platforms, and keeping up with the latest research still demanded significant effort.

All of that is now over with ChatGPT-4o and specifically Scholar GPT: this is a revolutionary tool that is set to change the landscape of research and communication in our industry. This advanced AI not only simplifies

• process of finding relevant studies
• integrating data from online public articles and academic papers
• providing a comprehensive view of the topic at hand
• even evaluating papers in various languages and formats.
  

To illustrate the power of ChatGPT-4o, let’s test the GPT with a real case. I used a topic of increasing importance as example and wanted to analyze what literature is available on consumer awareness and acceptance of alternative proteins.

With just a simple 3 steps approach – I asked the AI to help me find studies on this subject and summarize the key findings.

Here’s an example of how ChatGPT-4o transformed my research process:

1. Just prompt the research topic in ScholarGPT: “Findings on Consumer Acceptance of Alternative Proteins”

Here is the first result:

1. A Systematic Review on Consumer Acceptance of Alternative Proteins
   • Findings: Plant-based meat substitutes are the most accepted among consumers, followed by cultured meat. Insects are the least accepted. Consumers are more willing to try alternatives that closely mimic traditional meat.
   • Source: ScienceDirect
2. Meta-Analysis of Consumer Acceptance of Alternative Protein Sources
   • Findings: Analysis of 91 studies indicates that consumers are generally open to alternative proteins but have varying levels of acceptance. Familiarity and perceived naturalness positively influence acceptance.
   • Source: Faunalytics
3. Stakeholder Beliefs about Alternative Proteins
   • Findings: Stakeholders, including consumers, express both enthusiasm and skepticism about alternative proteins. Health benefits and environmental sustainability are significant drivers, while concerns include taste and price.
   • Source: MDPI
4. Consumer Insights & Research Reports on Alternative Proteins
   • Findings: Detailed insights into consumer demographics show that younger, health-conscious individuals are more likely to adopt alternative proteins. Motivations include health benefits, ethical concerns, and environmental impact.
   • Source: Good Food Institute
5. Alternative Proteins: Consumers’ Perceptions Analyzed
   • Findings: Key drivers for acceptance include taste, nutritional benefits, and environmental impact. Barriers include unfamiliarity and skepticism about health claims.
   • Source: ETprotein
6. 2020 Consumer Research Priorities
   • Findings: Identifies key research priorities to better understand consumer attitudes, including taste preferences, nutritional knowledge, and environmental awareness.
   • Source: Good Food Institute PDF
7. The Untapped Climate Opportunity in Alternative Proteins
   • Findings: Highlights the growing consumer acceptance of alternative proteins and their significant potential to reduce environmental impact. Consumers are increasingly motivated by climate concerns.
   • Source: BCG
8. Alternative Protein Consumption: A Systematic Review
   • Findings: Consumers show a positive trend towards alternative protein consumption, with plant-based proteins leading in acceptance. Cultural factors and awareness significantly influence consumption patterns.
   • Source: Wiley Online Library
9. How Are Different Alternative Proteins Perceived by Consumers?
   • Findings: Plant-based proteins are perceived more favorably compared to insect-based and cultured meats. Factors such as taste, nutritional content, and ethical considerations play a crucial role in acceptance.
   • Source: Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute
10. How Well Are Alternative Protein Sources Received by End Consumers?
    • Findings: Alternative protein sources are generally well-received, with increasing consumer preference for products that are sustainable and have a minimal environmental impact. Taste and texture improvements are essential for wider acceptance.
    • Source: Phys.org

2. Prompt: “Write a Summary of researches outcome” but do that with ChatGPT

If you use ScholarGPT to write the summary the result is not good to be honest. I tried to simply continue working within Scholar but the summary it gave was not based
on previous researches but they were taking into consideration other sources, much more promotional, for example:

1. Overall Acceptance Levels:
   • Plant-Based Proteins: These are the most accepted alternative proteins among consumers. Familiarity with plant-based foods and their ability to closely mimic traditional meat are significant factors driving this acceptance​ (The Independent)​​ (BarBend)​.
   • Cultured Meat: Cultured meat holds moderate acceptance. While consumers are intrigued by its potential environmental and ethical benefits, concerns about naturalness and taste remain barriers​ (The Independent)​​ (Verywell Fit)​.
   • Insects: Insects are the least accepted alternative protein. Despite their nutritional benefits and low environmental impact, cultural aversions and unfamiliarity hinder widespread acceptance​ (The Independent)​​ (BarBend)​.

As you can see, the considerations were correct but the sources were probably based on the popularity of the websites rather than on their scientific relevance.

I actually had to copy the text from Scholar and include it in a new ChatGPT Prompt as directly from ScholarGPT the first outcome was not accurate.

Still the summary “remembers” also the results from Scholar and the results were much better – see the final outcome.

Final outcome:

Alternative proteins, including plant-based, cultured, and insect proteins, are emerging as sustainable solutions to traditional animal-based proteins. Understanding consumer acceptance and awareness of these alternatives is crucial for their successful market integration.

Research indicates that consumer awareness of alternative proteins is increasing due to enhanced media coverage and marketing efforts, though understanding of specific types like cultured meat and insect-based products varies.

• Consumers are motivated by the perceived health benefits and lower environmental impact of these proteins, significantly influencing their willingness to try and adopt them.
• Sensory attributes such as taste, texture, and appearance are critical determinants of acceptance, with products closely mimicking traditional animal proteins being more readily accepted.
• Cultural norms and social influences also play substantial roles, with higher acceptance in regions where alternative proteins are traditionally consumed.
• Effective marketing strategies and educational initiatives, emphasizing transparency about production processes and benefits, can further enhance consumer acceptance by building trust and interest.
  
  

3. Save with a name convention!

All responses in ChatGPT 4o are still saved in the same sideboard without distinction from which GPT is used. As you can see it is impossible to know which prompt was used in which GPT and if you try to massively use it, the list of prompts on the side is going to get huge!

It’s important to establish a clear naming convention to differentiate prompts based on the specific GPT utilized. This practice ensures clarity and helps in efficiently retrieving the correct information. MM stands for my own GPT (Maria Morganti) which I’ll explain later.

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My Takeaways:

1. Diverse Document Processing: The research included PDF documents that had been scanned and correctly interpreted by ChatGPT-4o, showcasing its ability to handle various formats seamlessly.
2. Language Translation and Inclusion: Impressively, one of the sources was in German. ChatGPT-4o translated, evaluated, and included this source in the summary in real-time, demonstrating its multilingual capabilities.
3. Accuracy of Summaries: The summaries of each finding were accurate, reflecting the information from the original sources without distortion.
4. Limitations in Summary Generation: When I prompted ChatGPT-4o to create a summary akin to a seminar paper, the result was disappointing. The AI generated new text based on other, non-scientific sources that were mainly promotional and lost the connection to the original research.
5. Comparison with Standard ChatGPT: In contrast, when I used the standard ChatGPT for the same task, the text was much more neutral and accurate, maintaining fidelity to the initial research findings.

By leveraging ChatGPT-4o, I was able to quickly gather and synthesize relevant research, providing a clear and concise overview of consumer attitudes towards alternative proteins. This not only saves time but also ensures that the information shared is accurate and backed by credible sources.

Make your own GPT

To facilitate this process in the future, I made my own Researcher GPT that is already set-up to do this work, in the way I need to (with the right sources) and in the tonality I want to. I can’t wait to further test it my “Research Summarizer” GPT…See below a brief introduction to my research tool:

As we continue to navigate the evolving food landscape, tools like ChatGPT-4o will be indispensable in bridging the gap between scientific research and consumer communication, ultimately fostering a more informed and receptive market. Stay in touch for more updates from my digital Journey!