Chipotle Recruits Robot Kitchen Helper That Fries And Seasons Tortilla Chips

The next time you’re getting food from Chipotle, your tortilla chips could be made by ‘Chippy’—a robotic arm system that can deep-fry and season chips. 

A design of Miso Robotics, the new artificial intelligence system is now undergoing tests at the fast food chain’s Cultivate Center food laboratory in Orange County, California. 

Impressively, the AI doesn’t just dip the basket of chips into hot oil, but has also learned to season the popular side offering with salt and lime juice.

As per TechCrunch, in order to make the food seem more “human,” Chipotle is ensuring its process isn’t too perfect. 

“Everyone loves finding a chip with a little more salt or an extra hint of lime,” said Neville Panthaky, Vice President of Culinary at Chipotle. 

“To ensure we didn’t lose the humanity behind our culinary experience, we trained Chippy extensively to ensure the output mirrored our current product, delivering some subtle variations in flavor that our guests expect.” 

If Chippy does make it into stores, hopefully it’ll mean shorter waiting times and tastier, extra crispy chips for everyone!

[via TechCrunch and Input, cover image via Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc / PR Newswire]