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The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
As if graduating weren't daunting enough, now students like me face a jobs market devastated by AI
September is the beginning of many young people's lives, as cars speed along motorways transporting 18- and 19-year-olds to their new university accommodations. I remember my own journey down to Exeter in 2022, the first stage in what I hoped would be an experience to set me up for the rest of my life. Little did I know that this was the calm before the storm, before anyone had heard of ChatGPT, or imagined the chaos that generative AI was about to cause for new graduates. Fast forward to 2025, and some of the young people I began this journey with have realised that they've spent the last three years training for graduate jobs that don't exist. Many firms are now slashing their number of new hires. Big accountancy firms have cut back on graduate recruitment; Deloitte reduced its scheme by 18%, while EY has cut the number of graduates it's recruiting by 11%. According to data collected by the job search site Adzuna, entry-level job opportunities in finance have dropped by 50.8%, and those for IT services have seen a decrease of 54.8%. The main cause of this is artificial intelligence, which is destroying many of the entry-level jobs open to recent graduates. Companies are now relying on AI to replicate junior-level tasks, removing the need for them to hire humans. It feels like a kick in the teeth to students and recent graduates, who were already entering a challenging labour market. Once, graduates who had toiled through multiple rounds of interviews, battled it out with other applicants at an assessment centre, and made it through to the final round, could hope to get a job in a sector such as consultancy or accountancy. These historically secure, solid and (some would say) boring options guaranteed you gainful and well-paid employment and a clear career path. Now, those secure opportunities feel as though they're evaporating. Since applicants can't see jobs that no longer exist, their experience of this intense competition for fewer jobs is often limited to a series of disappointments and rejections. Should a student or recent graduate apply for one of these elusive opportunities, their application will frequently be evaluated and often declined by an AI system before a human even reads it. Friends who have recently graduated tell me of the emotional toll of talking to their webcam during an AI-generated interview in the hope that the system judges in their favour, a process that can be repeated again and again. So far, creative fields, and those that involve real-life human contact, seem more impervious to this trend. It will probably be a period of time before doctors or nurses, or professions that rely on genuine creativity such as painters or performing artists, find themselves replaced with an AI model. Even so, if people become increasingly unable to spot AI, and businesses continue to embrace it, the risk is that professions such as art and illustration also get devalued over time, and replaced by a bleak, AI-generated cocktail of eerily familiar 'creative' work. Conservative politicians and the rightwing press have often suggested that the most valuable degrees are those that have a clear job at the end of them (and that those in more creative fields, such as the humanities, are by implication less valuable). As one Times columnist wrote recently, students who do 'less practical' degrees are more likely to be 'living at home, working on their script/novel/music/art portfolio while earning pocket money', without either a profession or a useful skill. But what use is a degree in accountancy if you can't then get an accounting job at the end of it? Why is this course more valuable than studying something that teaches you critical thinking and transferrable skills – anthropology, say, or (in my case) Arabic and Islamic studies? Cuts to higher education mean that we're already seeing the end of some of those degrees often labelled as 'useless', yet the supposedly 'useful' subjects start to look less valuable when the jobs associated with them are replaced by AI models that didn't take three years to learn these skills. The end of university is already a terrifying time. Three or four years of preparing a bulletproof LinkedIn profile and creating a plan for the future suddenly becomes real. The last thing a person needs aged 21 is for an AI model to take the job they were told their degree was essential for. Today the playing field that exists is different to that of a year ago, and it will undoubtedly be different again when I and many other students graduate in a year's time. The adults who implore us to embrace AI to streamline everyday tasks and improve the efficiency of the working day often already have working days, a promise that feels as though it's drifting further and further away. Connor Myers is a student at the University of Exeter and an intern on the Guardian's positive action scheme
Mint
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Are films finally getting the depiction of neurodivergence right?
For far too long now, global cinema has depicted neurodiverse people either as tragic sufferers or as super talents. Take, for instance, The Good Doctor, in which Dr Shaun Murphy, a surgical resident with autism, is known for his near-photographic memory. Then there is Extraordinary Attorney Woo, an acclaimed Korean series, in which a young lawyer on the autism spectrum shines for her brilliant and creative problem-solving abilities. Mugdha Kalra, a mother to a neurodivergent child and co-founder, Not That Different—a platform that builds awareness and pushes for systemic change around autism, invisible disabilities and support systems for families—finds these portrayals problematic. 'These affect the way society or parents are looking at their children. They are either perceived as figures of pity, or parents start looking for super talents in their kids, which is a huge disservice to the child," she says. According to research by consultancy and auditing firm Deloitte, between 10-20% of the global population falls on the neurodivergent spectrum. A recent report by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) states that 2 million Indians are neurodivergent. 'When you have lakhs of people on the spectrum, then there are lakhs of possible on-screen characters. No two trait sets are identical. There is great potential to create characters, which are nuanced, varied and layered, and to present them with dignity," adds Kalra. Why not look at real-life examples and make space for everyday realities such as time blindness, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) loops or fidgety stims? A positive shift which has taken place in the last five years is that neurodivergent characters are being essayed by actors, who themselves are on the spectrum. They bring their lived reality to the roles, adding authenticity to the portrayals. Abuli Mamaji, who has Down Syndrome, played one of the leads in Nikhil Pherwani's Ahaan (2019), a film about a man with OCD finding a sense of camaraderie in a young man on the spectrum. In the UK, an experimental feature, The Stimming Pool (2024), has been co-created by a collective of autistic artists, the Neurocultures Collective, and filmmaker Steven Eastwood, 'who invite you into a neurodiverse world within the undulating logic of neurotypical environments". In an interview to The Guardian in March this year, Georgia Kumari Bradburn, one of the directors, said: 'It was never about us having a duty to explain who we are or what we are doing to other people. This is just the way we exist. It's a different way of existing." And now there is Sitaare Zameen Par, the official remake of the 2018 Spanish film, Champions, which stars 10 lead actors on the spectrum. Inclusion activists don't advocate for adding a protagonist on the spectrum just for tokenism. Rather, they would prefer if the neurodivergence was built into the script in a matterof-fact way, which normalises being on the spectrum. Imagine a hospital drama in which a nurse needs instructions in writing, or a junior lawyer in a courtroom series, who struggles with eye contact.'There are micro traits of neurodiversity, which can be shown as coexisting with neurotypicality. None of these need to be portrayed at a dramatic level. Their presence alone will tell the audience that neurodivergence can exist in all possible situations and not just in special issue episodes," elaborates Kalra. While the depiction of neurodivergence on screen is changing, people hope for a more layered and in-depth depiction of the caregivers as well. And that's where Anu Singh Choudhary's Selfie, Please, stands out. The 22-minute short film presents a vignette from the life of a family comprising a set of neurotypical and neurodivergent siblings—Anjali and Ananya, respectively. There is a particularly poignant scene where Anjali, an Odissi dancer, reminds her father that he owes her a prize for her exceptional performance. He hands her ₹500, while also giving the same amount to her elder sister, Ananya, who has Down Syndrome. As Anjali's face falls—this was to be her accomplishment alone—her mother reminds her of an earlier promise that everything would be split equally between the two sisters. Anjali storms off, and you can sense the seething discontent—she craves for her mother's attention and resents her sister for being the constant recipient of it. The scene also offers you an insight into the life of a mother, (played by Sarika Singh), who is torn between the two sisters day in and day out. In 22 minutes, Anu brings out the family dynamics to the fore, including the conflict between the parents about the manner of caregiving. According to Kalra, such stories are important as the diagnosis of a child being on the spectrum holds significance for the entire family. 'Selfie, Please already begins with a level of understanding—it doesn't explain Down Syndrome nor does it overtly dramatise the sibling rivalry. It just shows an episode from the life of this family," she says. For Anu, who wrote series such as Aarya and Mrs, this film stemmed from personal experiences. 'Ananya, who plays the sibling with Down Syndrome, is my first cousin. I have seen her mother feel conflicted about encouraging her to explore her social space while also being fiercely protective of her. Often that comes at the cost of your sanity and world view. And if you have another child, who is neurotypical, that plight increases," she says. The medium of short film allowed her to choose an ordinary day from someone's life. The moment of conflict shows the choices that families are making on a daily basis. 'Cinematic storytelling will always look for something extraordinary. But storytellers should not take away the mundanity of everyday life. They should strike a balance—something that Sitaare Zameen Par does well," elaborates Anu. Meanwhile, Selfie, Please has been winning awards at festivals such as the Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival, Indian World Film Festival and Bangalore Short Films Festival. The filmmaker is keen that the screenings be followed by focused group discussions as well. For instance, just last week, Selfie, Please was screened at the Veda Kunba Auditorium, Mumbai, as part of the event, Neuro Unity: Lights Camera Inclusion, organised by Kalra. This included a discussion with Anu and Divy Nidhi Sharma, writer, Sitaare Zameen Par, about ways of authentically portraying neurodivergent characters in cinema and television. 'There is a need to create understanding not just about people on the spectrum but those around them as well. It is not just about a film but what you can take away from that to expand your worldview," adds Anu .
Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Times
A $10bn oil empire in tatters: how Prax collapsed
Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai was as charming and upbeat as ever in September 2023 as he addressed investors at Prax Group's annual conference at the five-star Dorchester hotel on Park Lane, London. 'He gave a presentation about how everyone should be very proud,' one source at the event said. But even the most optimistic in the audience could not avoid arching an eyebrow as Soosaipillai presented profit numbers that seemed off the chart. Some attendees were incredulous and left the celebrated Mayfair hotel with one thing on their mind: how could Soosaipillai possibly back up the figures? The following day, Prax's executive committee convened for an off-site day at another luxury hotel – this time at the £2,000-a-night Fairmont hotel golf retreat on the outskirts of Windsor. To say that the gloss had come off Soosaipillai's sunny disposition was something of an understatement, as senior leaders grilled him on the previous day's profit number, which had even come as a surprise to some of them, according to one of those involved. The company was facing 'challenging markets… which affected our financial performance', Soosaipillai would later disclose. What followed was 'Project King', an initiative where Soosaipillai temporarily handed over control of his empire to consultants from Deloitte, such was the parlous state of its finances. One senior figure familiar with the situation said this led to the brutal axing of one in five staff to balance the books. Soosaipillai was typically sanguine. He referred to the exercise as 'a journey of value creation and cost efficiencies to extract the benefits from our consolidated diversified business which has grown substantially over the past years'. 'But that was a little bit futile,' said the source. 'Because the biggest problem was the refining.' Soosaipillai and his co-owner, wife Arani, have proven an enigma to outsiders after opening their first petrol station in St Albans with the help of an HSBC overdraft more than a quarter of a century ago. The reclusive couple's empire unravelled in spectacular fashion last week when it declared bankruptcy after being pursued by HMRC for £250 million in unpaid taxes. Rumours abound that they have fled the country. 'Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai no longer works for the Prax Group' and 'Arani Kumar Soosaipillai no longer works for the Prax Group' were the automated emailed responses in response to efforts by The Sunday Times to contact them for comment. Administrators are now in charge of Prax's parent; and the government's official receiver has seized control of the Lindsey oil refinery in Humberside — one of only five remaining in the UK that keep the country running. And it can this weekend be revealed that Britain was just a whisker away from handing over another major strategic asset to the couple. Prax had exchanged contracts with French oil major Total to acquire its interests in the West of Shetland gas fields. This included the Shetland Gas Plant, which is responsible for producing about 8 per cent of the UK's gas needs, enough for two million homes, according to Total. The deal had been due to complete in the final week of June, just days before administrators and receivers intervened. With their multi billion-pound empire in tatters, ministers have called for them to 'put their hand in their pocket' to pay for the huge bill that will now otherwise fall on taxpayers. The Insolvency Service has ordered an investigation. The couple's refusal to put their side across is, in their defence, consistent with how they have behaved over the years. Although regulars at private industry events, the husband and wife team – both 52, and who met while studying accountancy at the University of Kent – have shunned the media spotlight. Their preference has been to lock themselves inside a lavish 15,500 square foot mansion in a private gated community at St George's Hill, Surrey, or behind the tall brick walls that surround their head offices in nearby Weybridge. Sanjeev and Arani's first foray into oil came in 1999 when they opened a forecourt in Hertfordshire. Extra sites were added, in part funded by remortgaging their home. By 2005 they had added an oil storage site in Dagenham, east London, and thereafter carved out a niche in blending diesel, before diversifying into gas oil, kerosene and petrol. Armed with cheap bank loans, the Prax group of companies snaffled unwanted assets from oil majors such as BP, Total and Shell. A landmark deal came in 2015 when Prax landed the debt-fuelled takeover of Harvest Energy from commodities trader Trafigura and the Irish magnate Denis O'Brien for a cut-price $23 million. Harvest supplied a tenth of Britain's road fuel and owned forecourts of its own, but low oil prices had hit the group's bottom line, allowing the Soosaipillais to pounce. The pair's ambitions went well beyond the UK. In 2016, Prax swooped on AIM-listed oil explorer Tethys Petroleum, thrusting it into a legal row over the rights to thousands of barrels of oil that culminated with armed guards preventing oil tankers from leaving a Tethys base in Kazakhstan. By 2024, Prax could justifiably boast of an empire upon which the sun would never set, with interests as far east as Malaysia and southeast China, across the Middle East and Africa and over to Texas. The company made a virtue of being 'vertically integrated' — that is, owning a toehold in every bit of oil supply, from wells to refineries to petrol stations. It was, in effect, a mini oil major. Throughout this time, and flanked by his wife, Sanjeev retained an iron grip on his company. 'He is energetic, charismatic, and very charming,' said one person that worked with him. The problem was that he was either unable or unwilling to delegate, they said. 'I was surprised how he surrounded himself with less capable people,' the person added. 'He wants to do everything. The answer would always be: 'I'll fix it.'' This management style yielded results in the early years, but caused complications as the Prax group grew and grew. Located in North Killingholme, the pastel-painted tanks of the Lindsey oil refinery provide a much-needed dash of colour to the otherwise drab Lincolnshire flatlands on the south bank of the Humber Estuary. Lindsey processes about 113,000 barrels of crude oil per day, equivalent to approximately 7 per cent of the UK's demand for petrol, diesel and aviation fuel. Prax's acquisition of this site from French giant Total in 2021 would define the Soosaipillais as a major player in the UK energy market. The acquisition would also prove to be the couple's undoing. The Soosaipillais knew Total well by this point, having struck a deal to operate petrol stations under the French company's brand in 2019. They paid $167 million for Lindsey, including the Fina pipeline, which runs through the east of England, and an oil storage terminal. The Lindsey deal completed in March 2021. Within a year, Prax was toasting not only smashing through the $10 billion revenue barrier, but fat profit margins as oil prices soared in the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It allowed the couple to book a $500 million paper profit from their investment in the refinery. But as oil prices normalised, profit margins narrowed and may have even been negative, according to some industry experts. Whether it was poor due diligence, or inexperience in refining, the poor state of the refinery meant that it was not long before Lindsey turned from goldmine to millstone. The Soosaipillais put the refinery into a 'turnaround' – a standard practice that takes place every few years to overhaul and refurbish a plant. It is a major undertaking and requires careful planning to minimise the period of outage. Prax issued a press release last month hailing Lindsey's turnaround, which it said had taken place earlier in 2025. Bosses said the successful overhaul was a 'testament to the dedication, meticulous planning and safety mindsets of everyone involved'. Multiple sources dispute this version of events, however. They said that the turnaround actually commenced in March 2024 and dragged on until September. In the northern hemisphere, turnaround programmes typically occur in the spring or autumn. This is so they miss inclement weather during the winter, and avoid the summer, when oil prices are typically higher in response to 'driving season' in the US, when there is an increase in motorists using their cars. Industry sources said that a turnaround would typically take 45 days, meaning the March 2024 start date would have been perfectly timed, with reopening commencing in mid-April. Sources close to the company dispute the 45-day average, and pointed out that Lindsey refinery was in a poor state of repair, meaning that it was always likely to take longer. Nevertheless, some say that the effective four-month shutdown of Lindsey was a hammer blow to the wider Prax group. During this time, cashflows dried up. Given the size of the refinery, this had implications for the wider group. Not even a two-year offtake deal with FTSE 100 commodities giant Glencore, agreed in July 2024 on more favourable terms than the previous contract with Trafigura, could stop the difficulties mounting. Dealmaking became difficult at the same time. Prax agreed to acquire Shell's 37.5 per cent stake in a major refinery outside Berlin that was majority-owned with Kremlin-controlled Rosneft, only for the deal to collapse after the UK firm's financing fell through late in 2024, according to a source familiar with the deal. By May this year, the government had finally cottoned on to the travails of a group that owned a major piece of Britain's energy infrastructure. Energy secretary Ed Miliband summoned Soosaipillai into Whitehall for an explanation. Yes, it had been far from smooth-sailing, but Prax was not in peril, he was told. In fact, Soosaipillais is reported to have told Miliband the group was planning future investment. Whether or not Soosaipillai discussed his company's towering tax bill with Miliband is unclear. But it was ultimately his and his wife's undoing. Officials from UK Government Investments stepped up their preparations to take control of the Lindsey refinery in the week commencing 23 June. Special managers from FTI Consulting, acting on behalf of the government's Official Receiver, began taking control of the business on Friday, 28 June. Meanwhile, insolvency practitioners from Teneo were appointed as administrators to Prax's parent entity, State Oil Limited. So what next for Prax? On Friday, it emerged that FTI had struck a deal with Glencore for taxpayers to foot an unpaid bill for crude oil. That means that its consultants, working on behalf of the government's Official Receiver, are now free to consider sales options for the Lindsey refinery and associated companies. Previously, Glencore had security over the site as part of its offtake agreement with Prax. Some sources questioned whether Lindsey would find a buyer, given its relatively small size. It is the smallest of the UK's five oil refineries, after all. That said, next-door neighbour Phillips 66, which operates a refinery double its size, could be tempted. Teneo has a far larger job. It is now preparing the rest of Soosaipillai's sprawling network of companies for sale. It is understood that Teneo was first contacted by the company just four days before it collapsed into bankruptcy. Originally, the consultancy was asked to assist with raising new financing. Within hours, Teneo's team realised they were dealing with a group that was not financially viable. Sanjeev initially worked with Teneo before being suspended from his post by Prax's non-executives ahead of the group's insolvency. Teneo is understood to have opened a forensic investigation into Soosaipillai's actions as a company director. The likes of Lancaster offshore oil field west of the Shetland basin, bought as part of the takeover of AIM-quoted Hurricane Energy for £250 million in early 2023, is likely to attract suitors. Control of Total's Shetland assets, so close to becoming part of the group, have reverted back to the French oil giant. Likewise, the company's portfolio of petrol stations. Among the potentially interested parties are EG On The Move, EG Group and MFG. Sources said the preference was to sell the sites as one job lot. 'Twenty-five years on from the birth of Prax, we have the opportunity to set our business up for the next wave of growth and success,' Soosaipillai wrote in the company's 2024 annual report. 'Across Prax, we are embracing this opportunity with out classic 'can do' spirit.' When it comes to Prax, such sentiment only gets you so far, it would seem.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Gen Z employees are using more casual language around the office. Here's a guide to the jargon.
It can be challenging to keep up with all of the slang your Gen Z coworkers use. Employees who are part of Generation Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — are introducing coworkers to a variety of new phrases in the workplace. The new generation of workers is bringing their personalities into the office, and thus, their jargon. "We now take our work home readily and easily, basically in our pockets with our phones," Carrie Bulger, an industrial-organizational psychologist at Quinnipiac University, told Business Insider's Emily Stewart in June. "The lines are blurred no matter what. Why wouldn't they blur in the other direction as well?" Ultimately, Gen Z wants to be understood in the office. Four out of 10 Gen Zers say their primary job is central to their identities, coming in second to their friends and family, according to a 2025 Deloitte survey of more than 14,000 adult-aged Gen Z professionals. The same survey found that clear communication is important to them. As more young people come into the working world, one Gen Z worker suggested that they use some caution. Kevon Martin, a 25-year-old human resources coordinator, told BI there's a time and a place for slang. "Older colleagues can benefit from being more adaptable and relatable to their younger coworkers, so they know how to appeal to a younger consumer base," Martin said. "However, Gen Z must also recognize you can't come to work and use whatever slang words you'd use with each other because it's not the same environment." Below is a list of phrases a Gen Z colleague might use and what they (usually) mean. While some of these phrases originated from Black and LGBTQ+ creators, they are wide-ranging in their origins and references. Chokehold When you can't get enough of an item, person, or idea, one might say that it has you "in a chokehold." For example, the restaurant you frequent for lunch could have you in a chokehold if you visit every day. Im not even going to lie Love Island has me in a chokehold right now — Carlacia Grant (@carlaciagrant) June 22, 2025 Crash out or crashout "Crash out," as a verb, essentially means to respond dramatically to something. When a person is at their wits' end or a stressful event occurs, they may crash out by yelling, crying, or some other over-the-top response. For example, getting in trouble at work may prompt your coworker to crash out by being really upset about it. If they respond to such events with that sort of behavior often, they can be labeled a "crashout." how it feels to be in your healing era but also your crashout era at the same time — anna .ᐟ (@skeletvl) July 2, 2025 IJBOL Think of "IJBOL" as a more intense acronym than "LOL" that's more work-appropriate than "LMAO." It stands for, "I just burst out laughing," and it's the way a Gen Zer might let you know they found something funny or cringe. It's unclear who coined the acronym, but it can be used sincerely to express that you're laughing or ironically to demonstrate how chronically online you are. Rizz It's short for charisma. Someone with "rizz" is a smooth talker who knows how to navigate conversations like a pro. Those with "zero rizz" are awkward or have poor conversation skills. Aura In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, aura is defined as "an energy field that is held to emanate from a living being," and Gen Zers on TikTok have not transformed that meaning much. Everyone has aura, but the kind your young coworker might be referring to represents someone's swagger, cool points, or some undefinable X-factor that makes them intriguing. Someone who demonstrates an impressive skill or unmatched "rizz" might gain aura points. Meanwhile, someone who does something embarrassing might lose them. If you're constantly in awkward situations, you might be labeled as someone with negative aura points. Roman Empire The "Roman Empire" trend began online when someone asked, "How often do men think about the Roman Empire?" Cue viral videos of women asking their dads, husbands, and brothers how often the ancient society crosses their minds. The answer: more than you'd think. As sayings do, the phrase "Roman Empire" has transformed to mean a topic or scenario that someone can't stop thinking about. In one TikTok, a Garage Clothing employee said that Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce's relationship is their Roman Empire. Ick The term "ick" has long been used to describe something gross or unpleasant, but it has taken on a new meaning thanks to a current trend on TikTok. At first, "give me the ick" was used by Gen Zers to refer to traits or habits that turned them off from a person they're dating, but now many are sharing "icks" in all aspects of life. In December, a group of Atlanta-based nurses was publicly ridiculed for sharing their "icks" about patients in a TikTok video. The caption read "Icks, Labor & Delivery (Edition)," and the video featured multiple nurses sharing things they didn't like about patients. The employees appear to have since lost their jobs, based on an apology posted to Facebook by Emory Healthcare, which referred to them as "former employees." Stories, like those of the hospital workers, may give young people pause when considering more casual behavior around the office. But Martin told BI it can work if executed appropriately — and not disparagingly — in an environment of open communication between colleagues of multiple generations. Naur Simply put, "naur" means no or know. It is a more dramatic way of saying "no" or "know" and sounds like "no" with an Australian accent. Slay To "slay" anything means someone is doing an exceptional job at their work or a task at hand. Understood the assignment If a coworker says this, they mean a task has been completed exactly as it was meant to be done. Say less A shortened version of "say no more." It's used when you completely agree or understand what someone has just said. —Ace Boogie (@NewStripeCity) December 12, 2022 Unserious This is a more fun way of saying that something or someone is ridiculous or cannot be taken seriously. —Gibson Johns (@gibsonoma) December 12, 2022 L or W Although referring to wins and losses as "Ws" or "Ls" probably didn't start with Gen Z, the youngsters do like to use it to describe a positive or negative experience.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How will AI change the restaurant business?
Restaurant industry leaders are excited for artificial intelligence to make the business better. No tax on tips or overtime, with a catch: What to know as Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passes the Senate Psychologists now know exactly what makes someone cool. Turns out, the definitions are universal 'Alligator Alcatraz' merch appears on Amazon and Florida GOP website, making light of controversial facility But many feel unprepared to handle its implementation. That's according to a new survey from consulting firm Deloitte that asked hundreds of restaurant industry executives about their current use and future plans for AI. Overwhelmingly, respondents cited AI's potential to enhance the guest experience; to make a customer's time more enjoyable, comfortable, and memorable, as a top benefit of the tech. In fact, almost all—98%—operators in the survey said they expect a high impact on the customer experience in three years. AI is already showing up to help restaurant guests. It answers the phones, works the back office, and helps with marketing efforts. Eventually, it'll show up during table service. Plenty of restaurants are already using AI to their advantage; 8 in 10 industry leaders surveyed by Deloitte say they'll increase spending on the tech in the next year. Most of the survey's respondents work in quick service restaurants; nearly half work as franchise operators for larger brands. But that doesn't mean AI and its benefits are reserved for corporate restaurants. 'Big chains are usually first to test new technologies in the restaurant space, and AI is no different,' says Emma Blecker, a New York-based operations consultant. 'It makes sense, the tools are often built for them, and they've got the resources to spend on research and development, pilot programs, training, and rollouts. But that doesn't mean small operators are missing out.' For now, she advises, restaurants of all sizes can learn from industry early adopters, experimenting with new tech tools and ideas, like these: According to Deloitte's survey results, less than 1 in 5 surveyed leaders use conversational voice AI—tech that can talk—in their restaurant's daily operations now. But they plan to; roughly a third are testing or piloting the tech, with another third planning or developing a conversational AI strategy. Voice AI can staff a drive-thru, taking orders and upselling to guests with smart add-ons—think: 'Do you want fries with that?' except instead of blindly suggesting a side of fries to every customer, it uses factors like their order, time of day, or even the weather to suggest something else. It can also answer their phone, providing diners with info on location, hours, reservations, and other details, a boon for busy restaurants, like perennial San Francisco favorite Flour + Water, which tapped a local service called Hostie to work the phones. It's already made guests and employees happier. 'We're finding that people walking in the door already have answers to some of the questions they'd walk in with prior,' says Amanda Flores, director of operations for the Flour +Water restaurant group. 'That means fewer people walk in frustrated and the host gets to spend more time with people that are stoked to be here with their questions already answered.' Restaurant software has long collected data on diners—average spend, visit frequency, dining preferences—and AI can help make sense of all the numbers. For example, a text-based feature from reservations and customer relationship management platform SevenRooms helps restaurants segment customers into target groups and generate text messages to invite them to special events, share new menu items, or offer same-day reservation nudges. Celeb-chef backed Fabio Viviani Hospitality group, an early product tester for SevenRooms, said the tech helped book 1,800 reservations and drove close to half a million dollars in revenue in six months. The group's chief marketing officer said the texts had a 98% open rate. About half of restaurant operators in the survey say they already see a high impact from AI-enhanced loyalty tech; another quarter think they'll see a high impact in three years. The case for AI at fast food and other casual restaurants is straightforward; it can make the experience faster, easier, and more pleasant for people on both sides of the transaction. But integrating technology into full-service dining is a trickier proposition; even the best bots can't replace warm, in-person hospitality. But it can certainly help, and a new generation of devices has the potential to enhance human service. Plenty of companies are working on new, hands-free devices—pins, glasses, earpieces—though transformational change is likely years away. (Jony Ive, the longtime Apple design exec and architect of the iPhone, recently sold his new company to OpenAI with vague promises to right the iPhone's wrongs, moving our eyes from screens to reality.) In fact, it's already being tested. Yum China, the Shanghai-based parent company of American brands KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, and also the largest restaurant company in that country, just debuted a hands-free AI assistant for some of its KFC restaurant managers. They wear earphones and smart watches wired to process language and offer help, from inventory reminders to real-time troubleshooting. It's a pilot program, but the point is to help employees look up from screens and better interact with the physical world in front of them. Still, practicalities might slow progress. In Deloitte's survey, less than a third of industry leaders said their business's tech and talent are ready to implement big AI-related changes. In a recent conversation, Kelly Esten, chief marketer for restaurant point of sale company Toast, declined to speculate on how soon transformative new hardware might arrive at America's restaurants. But Esten agrees it's coming. 'I do think we're going to go through another platform shift,' she told me, 'and it creates a tremendous amount of opportunity for restaurants and for restaurant tech.' This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter:
