NYT Cooking’s AI assistant saved my weeknight chicken, but almost ruined my cake

Around 7 PM each weeknight, I find myself standing in front of the fridge, trying to decide on something for dinner that won't make my husband complain, "Chicken again?" Yes, I should meal plan more, but I don't, so this is where I'm at. A nightly battle in which the chicken usually wins. Recently, my best weapon in this fight has been AI, particularly the new built-in AI assistant in the NYT Cooking app. This intelligent helper has quickly become an indispensable part of my kitchen routine. Between Alexa Plus in the Echo smart display on my kitchen counter, the Samsung Food app on my fridge, and even an AI-powered cooking robot, AI has become my go-to sous chef – albeit one I need to keep a close eye on. It's helped me swap ingredients when I'm missing something crucial, generate fresh dinner ideas when my creativity wanes, and even fix things when I mess up a recipe. The AI assistant has truly saved my weeknight chicken dinners from monotony and potential disaster, offering quick, practical solutions that fit my busy schedule. However, my experience hasn't been entirely flawless. While the AI excels at straightforward tasks and improvisations, it proved to be a less reliable partner when I ventured into more delicate baking. A recent attempt at a complex cake recipe, guided by the AI, nearly ended in culinary catastrophe. It seems that while AI can be a fantastic aid for everyday cooking, especially for quick fixes and simple meals, it still lacks the nuanced understanding and intuitive judgment required for intricate baking or gourmet dishes. It's a powerful tool, but one that reminds us the human touch, and perhaps a good old-fashioned cookbook, still holds its irreplaceable value in the kitchen.