Baedal Minjok’s AI Food Description Scores 4.5/5 from Blind Users, Boosts Accessibility

Baedal Minjok's new artificial intelligence (AI) feature, providing detailed audio descriptions of menu items, achieved an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from visually impaired users during recent tests. This technology aims to enhance accessibility and equity in online food ordering.

Baedal Minjok, the leading food-ordering platform in South Korea, recently completed user tests for its new artificial intelligence (AI) description technology. Developed in partnership with AI image startup Connect Brick, this innovation verbally details food items for visually impaired customers.

The AI analyzes menu images to describe aspects like color, cooking doneness, and key ingredients, delivering a rich audio experience. This represents an advancement from basic screen-reader functions that only read visible text.

During a three-day test involving 30 visually impaired participants at Seoul's Shiloam Vision Center for the Blind, the AI food description feature received an average rating of 4.5 out of 5. Participants evaluated the quality of these audio descriptions.

Feedback highlighted the technology's impact: users reported a clearer ability to visualize the food. They also expressed feeling recognized as equal consumers, noting the technology corrected an imbalance in information sharing for disadvantaged individuals that relies heavily on images.

This development aligns with Baedal Minjok operator Woowa Brothers' stated corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Kim Jung‑hyun, head of the company's sustainable management office, confirmed their commitment to improving accessibility.

The company aims for all individuals to benefit from technological advancements without discrimination. This project follows other efforts, including providing free meals to children and publishing digital literacy guides for mentally challenged customers.

The success of this AI feature underscores a broader industry shift towards inclusive design. Future developments will likely focus on expanding such AI-powered accessibility tools across more digital platforms.