Starbucks' new OpenAI-powered tool helps baristas remember drink recipes and suggests food options
Starbucks is piloting a tool that'll help its baristas remember drink recipes.
The Seattle-based coffee chain launched a new AI tool called Green Dot Assist, created with OpenAI. This tool, available on an iPad behind the counter in Starbucks stores, will work as an in-store virtual assistant for baristas.
"Instead of flipping through manuals or searching for answers, partners can now ask questions on in-store iPads and receive instant, conversational responses," Starbucks said in a Tuesday press release.
In an explanatory video of the tool, Starbucks said Green Dot Assist would show videos of how to make certain drinks, suggest tweaks and customizations to recipes, and recommend food pairings.
For instance, a video on how to make Starbucks' Lavender Oatmilk Latte shows the app directing the barista to recommend a lemon loaf to the customer, as the loaf would "complement the latte's floral notes."
"This marks a significant step forward in our commitment to streamlining operations, reducing friction, and giving partners more time to focus on crafting beverages and connecting with customers," Starbucks said in the release.
Green Dot Assist is in use in 35 Starbucks stores in the US, "with more on the way," Starbucks said in the release. CNBC reported that a broader launch of the tool across the US and Canada is scheduled for Starbucks' fiscal year 2026, which begins in the fall.
The new tool fits into CEO Brian Niccol's " Back to Starbucks" game plan, which aims to make Starbucks stores more inviting, improve operations, and reduce customer wait times.
As part of the plan, Starbucks announced it would eliminate 30% of its menu offerings before the end of the fiscal year and has introduced a new mobile ordering system.
The chain is also ramping up hiring baristas to fix its long-standing understaffing problem. Niccol said in April that Starbucks was focusing more on hiring baristas than on investing in equipment.
"We're finding through our work that investments in labor, rather than equipment, are more effective at improving throughput and driving transaction growth," Niccol said on the company's earnings call in April.
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