Introducing AI Loves Pasta, a cool AI generated content creation project

S2-E9 (14 May 2023)

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I am conducting several experiments with ChatGPT to explore its potential and familiarize myself with this technology that will have a more profound impact than what the Internet and the iPhone have produced.

It is an issue that many people are pondering, and that raises many justified concerns. However, it is a revolution that cannot be stopped or curbed in its effects, so best to be guided by curiosity.

Right now, I am playing around with text and image generation. I decided to experiment by launching a project that I will develop out in the open by sharing everything: how I will generate content and distribute it with the support of ChatGPT and Midjourney, what results I will get, and whether I will be able to monetize my project. Meet AI loves Pasta.

AI loves Pasta

I decided to explore ChatGPT’s abilities in the area of cooking. I started with a simple question: Hey, ChatGPT, can you describe your skills in the area of gastronomy? Here is the answer.

As an AI language model, I possess extensive knowledge in the area of gastronomy, though I do not have the ability to physically taste or prepare food. My skills in this field are primarily focused on providing information, recommendations, and support in various aspects of gastronomy. Here are some key areas where I can assist.

Culinary techniques: I can provide explanations and instructions for various cooking techniques, ranging from basic methods like frying or boiling to more advanced techniques like sous vide or molecular gastronomy.

Recipe suggestions: I can help you find or create recipes based on specific ingredients, dietary restrictions, or cuisine preferences.

Food pairing: I can suggest complementary food and drink pairings based on flavor profiles, regional preferences, or specific dishes.

Nutritional information: I can provide general nutritional information about ingredients, meals, or diets to help you make informed decisions about your food choices.

Food history and culture: I can offer insights into the history and cultural significance of various dishes, cuisines, or culinary practices.

Food science: I can explain the scientific principles behind various cooking techniques, ingredient interactions, and food-related phenomena.

Restaurant recommendations: I can suggest restaurants or eateries based on location, cuisine, or other preferences, though my data is only accurate up to September 2021.

Professional culinary advice: I can provide guidance on menu planning, food presentation, and other aspects of professional culinary endeavors.

While my skills in gastronomy are extensive, please note that I am an AI language model and cannot physically cook or taste food. My knowledge is based solely on the information I've been trained on and may not always be up-to-date or accurate.

Six recipes invented by ChatGPT and illustrated by Midjourney

Imagine how many applications and services dedicated to cooking and nutrition can be built from ChatGTP. I started with something straightforward: a cookbook I am publishing on Substack as a newsletter.

I chose a theme that is very familiar to me because I enjoy cooking: pasta. Not the simple pasta that you can find in any cookbook. In AI Loves Pasta, you will find only fusion recipes created by ChatGPT by crossing Italian cuisine with that of other countries in the world.

Every week three new recipes. I dedicated the first week to Belgium and the second to the meeting of Roman and California cuisine.

The results are fascinating. Although ChatGPT doesn’t show much creativity or imagination, it has never gotten the preparation steps wrong.

AI Loves Pasta is published in Italian, but you can always translate the recipes into your language using... ChatGPT!

The product management point of view

I am not just playing with ChatGPT to see what technology can do. I am also exploring creating a product using generative artificial intelligence for most activities.

The business opportunity I plan to explore is related to content creation. I will use ChatGPT as a co-pilot to create new recipes, distribute them on social media, and monetize them.

To focus on the product, I used the Mad Lib I mentioned in the last episode of this newsletter:

I want to help Italian cooking enthusiasts
to impress their guests
with recipes invented by Artificial Intelligence

Being a side project, I don’t have the time to allocate for customer research activities. So I chose the target market and positioning solely based on my experience. In other words, to simplify, I used myself as a customer persona.

Content creators monetize in two ways:

• They sell premium products to their audience (guides, online courses, subscriptions). This approach is used mainly by niche professional content authors such as Ali Abdaal or Justin Welsh;

• They sell their audience’s attention to companies through advertising, affiliate programs, and sponsored content. Celebrities and influencers with substantial social audiences adopt this strategy.

Considering that I am not a celebrity and have no intention of becoming an influencer in the food industry, the most reasonable way forward might be to build a community of passionate experimenters and then create a premium product, such as an ebook (I will use Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing).

Let’s build a roadmap

Many projects fail because of the wantrepreneur’s inability to focus on the obsessive execution of a plan. Without a plan, there are no goals or actions to achieve. Only aspirations.

I plan to publish an ebook in 20 weeks, which is about five months. During this period, I will do the following activities:

1. I will post three recipes per week (on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) on Substack;

2. I opened an Instagram account and set goals for growth and engagement. ChatGPT will entirely generate the editorial plan, while the content will be a mix of videos produced by me and those who want to contribute by experimenting with the recipes;

3. in September, I will explore how to publish a full-color recipe book via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing;

4. finally, every two weeks, I will write a quick update on the progress of the experiment in this newsletter.

The starting point

My starting point on Substack is 12 newsletter subscribers. Visits in the last two weeks have been about 500. On Instagram, I have 17 followers. We will see what the results will be in two weeks.

I only have a few hours a week to devote to this project to write the recipes together with ChatGPT, generate the posts, and schedule them through PostPickr. So I don't expect stellar results in terms of an audience; for now, my main goal is to create an interesting cookbook and experiment with as many recipes as possible.

My AI Stack

I have started using several tools based on artificial intelligence. Today I point out two that have now become part of my daily routine:

• DeepL. Among the different solutions on the market, DeepL is probably the most interesting consumer-facing generalist option for machine translation, thanks to the apps and the Chrome extension. The quality of the translations is excellent, and, in most cases, artificial intelligence does not make mistakes. If, on the other hand, you are a large company and need a professional machine translation system, the market leader is ModernMT by Translated.

• Grammarly is a typing assistant that helps me improve my written English by correcting errors and giving me many suggestions to increase text clarity and simplify sentences. I also ask Grammarly to update and improve machine translations as well because all the ones I have used produce texts with an elementary style and no stylistic embellishments.

Being a content creator

Two videos to further explore the stories of Ali Abdaal and Justin Welsh.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this episode of my newsletter: I hope I’ve been helpful. If you think my sketchbook might interest someone else, I’d be glad if you shared it on social media and forwarded it to your friends and colleagues.

See you in a couple of weeks 😊

Nicola