The role of AI in shaping future functional foods: Targeted delivery, biosynthesis, and personalized nutrition

The functional food industry is shifting from general fortification to precision nutrition. However, conventional methodologies face bottlenecks in bioactive discovery, manufacturing, and delivery. This perspective articulates how artificial intelligence (AI) serves as the central orchestrator to resolve these challenges. We present a roadmap where AI converges with biotechnology: First, AI-driven algorithms and synthetic biology enable the efficient discovery and microbial biosynthesis of high-purity bioactives, replacing traditional agriculture. Second, AI models decode individual metabolic responses, facilitating evidence-based personalized dietary interventions. Third, delivery systems are evolving into autonomous, stimuli-responsive nanosystems capable of closed-loop navigation and real-time feedback. By integrating these pillars, AI transforms functional foods from static supplements into dynamic, closed-loop therapeutic systems. This paradigm shift promises a new era of predictive, personalized, and precisely engineered intelligent nutrition.