Starbucks has announced its partnership with Microsoft Azure aimed at bringing artificial intelligence (AI) into its coffee shops.
The program, called Green Dot Assist, plans to take some of the guesswork and pressure off their baristas making coffee every day. Starbucks plans to test the program first in 35 stores during a pilot phase, with a wider rollout across the U.S. and Canada expected later this year.
But what does this AI do exactly? Green Dot Assist can help remind (or maybe even teach) baristas how to prepare specific drinks with more complicated ingredients. The system can also suggest possible food pairings for the menu items available in the store.
Furthermore, it promises to help with unexpected staff shortages, taking some pressure off managers by handling routine tasks and important questions they might usually need to answer from other employees. If successful, this could also allow managers to focus less on certain day-to-day decisions.
See also: 10 jobs at risk of getting replaced by AI, according to Google Bard
Starbucks isn’t alone in trying out AI ideas lately. Earlier this year, McDonald’s tried using AI technology for its drive-thru orders but paused the experiment after two years with IBM AI.
Interestingly, Starbucks was one of several food chains that tried a Metaverse concept store not long ago as part of its rewards program. However, they pulled out in March 2024 because it felt too artificial or didn’t work well for customers.
The Green Dot Assist Artificial Intelligence program sounds like it could definitely help with some common questions baristas get, though we don’t know yet if the AI will be able to correctly spell your name on the cup.