Crunchy snacks can be problematic when talking with other players online. Chesnot/Getty Images
While some fear artificial intelligence will lead the humanity’s eventual destruction or irrelevance, others are using the technology for more practical purposes in the here and now.
Consider eating Doritos while playing video games. For many, gaming and the popular PepsiCo snack go hand-in-hand, but there’s a problem for players communicating via headset mics: crunching sounds. Many complain the noises distract them and hurt their performance.
AI has come the rescue in the form of Doritos Silent, described in a PepsiCo promotional video as “the world’s first AI-augmented snack powered by crunch cancellation.” The idea is that players can munch away without fear of disturbing other players. In addition to the snack there is software available for free download (it only works with Windows PCs for now).
Developing the product took six months and involved artificial intelligence and machine learning analyzing more than 5,000 crunch sounds, according to the snacks-and-beverage giant.
“We all know that gamers love Doritos, but that unmistakable crunch can often disrupt those intense gaming moments,” said Dylan Fashbaugh, a lead developer at Smooth Technology in New York who helped create the product, in a statement. “We’ve worked to ensure gamers can enjoy the crunch of Doritos without disturbing their fellow players, making for a better gaming experience.”
Of course, many observers might dismiss Doritos Silent as a trivial development, or a mere marketing ploy. A PC Gamer review called it “profoundly stupid,” while admitting it worked well enough with Doritos, if not always with competing snacks.
Either way, Doritos Silent speaks to how drawn marketers are to the video game industry (including Heineken, which recently offered a gaming PC that doubles as a fridge). Globally this year, that industry is expected to generate $188 billion in revenue, up 2.6% from 2022, according to a report from Newzoo, an Amsterdam-based industry tracker.
It’s also expected to reach 3.4 billion players. At that size, it’s a market PepsiCo and other companies can sink their teeth into.
