Deepinder Goyal, the Founder and CEO of Zomato Ltd., recently took a firm stance against the use of AI-generated images for dishes featured on restaurant menus, citing concerns that these images can be deceptive. In a post shared on the social media platform X on Sunday, August 18, Goyal emphasized that while AI has its place in enhancing workflow efficiency within the company, its use in generating food images is problematic.

Goyal pointed out that AI-generated images of food items have led to a significant number of customer complaints, with many patrons feeling misled by the unrealistic portrayals of the dishes they ordered. He noted that this issue has resulted in an increase in complaints, refund requests, and lower ratings for restaurants on the platform. “Customers feel that this misuse of AI undermines their trust, leading to more dissatisfaction and negative feedback,” Goyal stated in his post.

In response to these concerns, Goyal urged Zomato’s partner restaurants to immediately cease using AI-generated images for the dishes listed on their menus. He further announced that Zomato will begin actively removing such images by the end of the month, using automation tools to detect and eliminate them.

Goyal also offered support to restaurants affected by this policy change. He encouraged them to contact Zomato’s support team to arrange for professional photoshoots of their dishes. These services would be provided on a pass-through cost basis, ensuring that the images used on the platform accurately represent the food being offered.

The Zomato CEO extended this directive to his own marketing team, instructing them to avoid the use of AI-generated images in any future content. This move is part of a broader effort to maintain authenticity and build customer trust across the platform.

The response to Goyal’s post on X was largely positive, with many users praising the decision to prioritize authenticity. Some users also raised concerns about multiple restaurants using identical images for their menu items, to which Zomato responded by assuring that this issue would be addressed.

Meanwhile, Zomato’s stock saw a slight uptick, closing 1.89% higher at ₹264.50 after Friday’s trading session, compared to ₹259.60 the previous day. This reflects a generally favorable market response to the company’s commitment to maintaining quality and transparency in its offerings.