AI-Powered Chatbots to Optimize the Food Waste Reverse Supply Chain

Food waste management has become a critical global problem with significant economic, social, and environmental impacts. In Colombia, approximately 9.7 million tons of food are wasted annually, impacting food security and malnutrition. This research explores the role of artificial intelligence, in particular chatbots, in optimizing food distribution and minimizing waste. The proposed system, RECO Donation Manager, employs AI-powered chatbots integrated with PostgreSQL databases and geolocation services such as Bing Maps to streamline food donations. By leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML), the chatbot improves user interaction, automates resource allocation, and ensures efficient food redistribution. Initial implementation highlights challenges in geolocation accuracy, data validation, and NLP understanding, emphasizing the need for further refinements. This study demonstrates the potential of AI-based solutions to mitigate food waste and promote sustainable resource management, providing a promising basis for future advances in automated food donation systems.