Innovative apps are disrupting unexpected industries by taking advantage of machine learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to the realm of tech companies or data-driven startups – it’s rapidly transforming some of the most unexpected corners of the business world. From automating irrigation systems in agriculture to enhancing the expertise of sommeliers, streamlining compliance in corporate law to assisting in precision dentistry, AI innovations are making surprising inroads across a wide range of industries.
These applications go beyond efficiency – they’re reshaping workflows, decision-making and even illustrate how AI is redefining what’s possible in sectors that, until recently, seemed far removed from the cutting edge of technology.
Here are a few L.A.-based companies that offer AI-driven solutions designed to enhance work and life in a number of surprising ways.
Space-Age Sommelier DRINKS Brings AI Drink Recommendations … and Boosts Sales
A survey conducted by L.A.-based DRINKS, a pioneering platform for alcohol e-commerce, revealed that 76% of consumers envision AI significantly shaping alcohol shopping within the next five years. This survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, commissioned by DRINKS and conducted by Dynata, found that 31% of adults over the age of 21 have already used AI to aid in alcohol selection, and 71% would be interested in adopting the technology if offered by liquor stores and online retailers.
While 44% of consumers currently believe AI can recommend a bottle of wine or liquor for personal enjoyment, the interest in AI-powered recommendations extends to social settings as well.
Over 40% of consumers would trust AI-suggested drink pairings at a restaurant, 26% would let the technology determine a cocktail order at a bar and 39% would allow it to select drinks for a party or gathering. Meanwhile, only 30% of consumers find human expert advice “very important” to alcohol purchases.
“Consumers are looking at how technology can make their lives easier, and in this case, the insights of an AI ‘sommelier’ can make alcohol less intimidating,” said Barry Collier, co-founder and head of R&D at DRINKS. “For example, the ‘rules of wine’ might make someone hesitate to ask questions or try a new bottle. But AI that understands their individual preferences can help pick the ‘right’ drink for the occasion and give the buyer confidence that they'll enjoy their purchase.”
DRINKS' patented AI-powered wine recommendation system is a step toward transforming the way people discover, select and purchase their favorite bottles.
“Our patented PAIR (Predictive AI Retailing) technology uses AI to dissect every wine label to analyze color palettes, fonts, imagery and dozens more elements of design. We use these features to predict the emotional response it will spark (like romantic, adventurous, elegant or perhaps quirky),” said Collier. “By tailoring recommendations around these feelings, we've driven a 50-plus-percent lift in click-through rates over traditional ‘You may also like’ recommendations. And when you pair these insights with a virtual sommelier that allows the customer to describe their taste preferences or desires in natural language, you unlock the true power of conversational commerce.”
AI-Driven SoilDrops Puts the “I” in Irrigation
L.A.-based SoilDrops, a forward-thinking startup dedicated to sustainable and effortless irrigation, recently announced the launch of its Smart Irrigation Starter Kit. Debuting on Earth Day, the SoilDrops system combines precise soil moisture tracking, proactive lead detection and tailored plant care guidance to simplify landscaping while significantly reducing water use and waste.
“Water scarcity isn't an abstract future issue. It's here now and people need practical solutions,” said Daniel Zhao, founder and CEO of SoilDrops. “We built SoilDrops for anyone who values efficiency and sustainability but doesn't want the hassle of complicated setups. Watering smarter should be simple and accessible for everyone.”
Unlike traditional irrigation solutions relying on fixed schedules or weather predictions, SoilDrops dynamically adjusts watering based on real-time moisture levels, preventing both underwatering and overwatering.
Additional standout features include a built-in, smart leak detection capability that instantly alerts homeowners to potential issues, avoiding costly damage and wasted water. Homeowners can also leverage SoilDrops' extensive plant database via its mobile app, receiving personalized watering recommendations tailored to their landscape's unique needs.
SoilDrops addresses critical, nationwide water conservation challenges intensified by increasing drought conditions, allowing for healthy landscapes without wasteful watering practices.
cineSearch for Business Could Make “Mindless Scrolling” a Thing of the Past
Los Angeles-based Cineverse has officially launched "cineSearch for Business." The AI-powered content search and discovery tool is complete and now available for commercial licensing to OEMs and streaming platforms, both through the company's growing sales team and through Google Cloud Marketplace.
This is an advanced search tool that eliminates “binge scrolling” by effectively offering viewers personalized content recommendations that do not rely on matching keywords found in the title, cast and genre, but are more accurately determined by the user's mood along with the content's theme, popularity, quality, tone, setting, style, music score, plot and micro-genre, among many other traits. In addition, a viewer's previous viewing history, likes/dislikes, saved watchlists, location, current date and other factors are used to determine the most relevant movies.
cineSearch directly addresses key issues affecting the streaming ecosystem, namely the fact that one third of streaming subscribers cancel a service due to poor discovery; viewers spend an average of 10-plus minutes searching for what to watch, with 20% of viewers abandoning their search; and 50% are forced to rely on external social searches for their recommendations, taking them out of the platform's preferred user experience. Plus, cineSearch solves a real problem that is holding the streaming industry back and costing it revenue – testing has shown that it can decrease search time 90%, improve user retention 16% and increase revenue a potential 24% per month.
Gavel Exec Provides an Advanced AI Assistant for Small L.A. Firms
L.A.-based Gavel has unveiled Gavel Exec, a sophisticated AI assistant embedded in Microsoft Word that is designed to perform at a senior-level capacity for small firms.
With a holistic approach to document review, Gavel Exec has been used by a cohort of Gavel’s law firm customers for several months. They provided feedback to ensure accuracy and quality of the results and helped develop market benchmarks and playbooks, starting with corporate and real estate law. Gavel Exec empowers lawyers to perform a range of activities, including contract analysis and redlining, negotiation based on firm precedents and running playbooks with pre-defined rules.
Gavel Exec uses advanced, proprietary AI agents that model the entire context of a document, reference files, guidelines and prior behavior before taking any action, like an associate reviewing the whole case file before making any decisions.
-Paul Williams
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