An artificial intelligence (AI) program has been studying the cookbooks and has taught itself how to make intriguing* new pie recipes — including Scotch egg pies and one with a salad filling.

Working with a British pie maker, the algorithm* has produced thousands of recipes, five of which have been selected for production and will be going on sale. The AI works by looking for patterns in existing recipes and then trying to make its own based on what it learned.

While some of the early recipes it proposed were perhaps less-than-mouth-watering, with a little guidance it soon got the hang of cooking up new pie concepts. The experiment illustrates how AI can provide new insights for small businesses and help dream up novel products to take to market.

The culinary AI is a collaboration between digital business lending platform Esme Loans and pie maker Piglet’s Pantry.(SD-Agencies)