How AG1 Is Using AI to Strengthen Science-Led Innovation

For more than 15 years, AG1 has continuously improved its products driven by advancements in nutrition science. As new research deepens our understanding of how ingredients interact with human biology, we believe it is our responsibility to translate those insights thoughtfully into our future product innovation.

That’s why we’re investing in generative artificial intelligence as a scientific tool to support our research and development work. Generative AI adds a predictive layer to the R&D work by helping our in-house team of scientists validate formulation ideas faster, evaluate trade-offs earlier, and shorten the path from promising insight to viable and effective product concepts—without compromising rigor.

AI as a Scientific Tool

AG1’s Research and Product Development teams, in partnership with our Science and Innovation Advisors, continue to lead the concept, design, and validation of all product formulas. AI is applied as a companion to that expertise, using advanced computational methods and systems-based biology to analyze and organize existing scientific knowledge at scale.

This includes reviewing large bodies of peer-reviewed research, integrating diverse datasets across nutrition, metabolism, the microbiome, and stress-testing potentially infinitesimal ingredient combinations before they enter more time- and resource-intensive phases of development.

In practice, this allows AG1’s scientists to explore questions that once took weeks or months to answer in a fraction of the time—while maintaining scientific rigor. AI helps surface patterns, hypotheses, and gaps in the literature, enabling teams to prioritize the most promising concepts earlier in the process all within the lens of developing products that benefit our consumers daily foundational health.

“Nutrition science is complex, and translating discovery into products people can actually use has historically taken years,” said Kat Cole, CEO of AG1. “By investing in AI, we’re giving our scientific teams better tools to work faster and more rigorously. We can validate ideas sooner, make informed decisions earlier, and ultimately deliver higher-quality research-backed products to consumers.”

Accelerating Validation

One of the most meaningful benefits of AI in AG1’s innovation pipeline is speed to validation. Early-stage formulation decisions—such as which ingredients to explore, safety, nutrient synergies, or where trade-offs exist between efficacy, sensory experience, stability, and feasability—often determine a product’s success long before it reaches consumers.

AI helps AG1 evaluate these considerations earlier and more comprehensively, allowing scientists to narrow in on viable concepts and quickly move into laboratory testing, sensory evaluation, or clinical research. Outputs generated through AI undergo a formal and methodological review process to validate the data and confirm they are validated by experienced scientists.

“AI accelerates analysis, but human intelligence determines what matters,” said Dr. Ralph Esposito, Chief Science and Nutrition Officer at AG1. “Scientific judgment, context, and real-world experience remain essential to translating data into products that actually benefit people.”

Choosing the Right Partners

While many AI platforms are designed for pharmaceutical applications, applying AI effectively in food and nutrition science requires a different approach. To meet these needs, AG1 partnered with Process Integration and Predictive Analytics (PIPA), a company founded by Ilias Tagkopoulos, the Director of the USDA AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) and a professor at University of California, Davis, an AG1 research partner. Through this collaboration, AG1 leveraged PIPA’s AI innovation platform built for food, nutrition, and health, to formulate more efficiently.

This investment in AI builds on AG1’s broader network of academic research partnerships, including collaborations with Penn State, the University of Arkansas, and Hofstra University. Together, these relationships provide access to large, high-quality scientific datasets. Combining that data with specialized computational analysis allows AG1 to support more informed, data-driven decision-making across its innovation pipeline.

Building for the Future

AG1’s investment in generative AI is part of a long-term commitment to scientific rigor. This includes expanding in-house research and development teams, engaging independent Science and Innovation Advisors, funding discovery research through academic institutions, and committing tens of millions of dollars to multi-year clinical research.

As nutrition science continues to evolve, AG1 is excited to invest in the best available tools to ask better questions, validate ideas earlier, and build products grounded in evidence.