The functional foods and beverages sector has always sat at the intersection of nutritional science, consumer behavior, and industrial manufacturing — a space where getting formulation wrong carries real consequences, and where the distance between a promising bioactive compound and a shelf-ready product has historically been measured in years. Today, artificial intelligence is compressing that distance. Across ingredient discovery, clinical validation, supply chain logistics, and personalized nutrition, AI has moved from a peripheral tool to a core operating layer for the sector's leading companies. Major global players including Nestle, Danone, PepsiCo, Unilever, General Mills, and Archer Daniels Midland are no longer piloting AI in isolated functions — they are integrating it enterprise-wide.