Instacart, the grocery-delivery app, has started using generative AI for the food photos it pairs with its AI-generated recipes. However, the results have been less than appetizing, with many of the images featuring physically impossible or unlikely compositions and blending visually similar elements together. For example, one photo depicts a hot dog with the texture of a tomato and another shows a slice of lemon and lettuce fused together. AI image detection software concludes that these photos were likely generated by AI. In addition to the photos, Instacart’s recipe text for ingredients and instructions is also generated by AI, as disclosed by the company. Instacart’s use of AI for recipe creation and photography is intended to optimize the user experience, although it did not initially disclose the addition of AI recipes when it announced a partnership with OpenAI in 2023. Other companies have faced criticism for their use of generative AI art, but the legal implications of such imagery remain unclear. Instacart went public in 2023, but its stock has struggled to surpass its IPO price.