Cultured poultry meat and artificial intelligence approaches in alternative protein research

Global protein demand is rising sharply, yet conventional meat production contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land degradation. Cultured poultry meat offers a promising alternative by enabling in vitro growth of avian cells with reduced environmental impact. Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a transformative tool in this space, supporting media optimization, predictive quality assessment, and bioprocess efficiency. This review critically evaluates the current status of cultured poultry meat, highlights AI frameworks applied to its development, and examines their synergy in accelerating production while reducing time, cost, and resource inputs. Key technical, regulatory, and consumer adoption challenges are identified, alongside opportunities for commercialization and sustainability gains. Integrating AI-driven experimentation with techno-economic and life cycle assessment approaches is essential to advance cultured poultry meat from laboratory proof-of-concept to industrial-scale production with measurable environmental benefits.