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5d ago

Starbucks Pilots ‘Green Dot Assist’ AI Assistant to Support Baristas

Starbucks is testing the virtual assistant to boost service speed as part of its ‘Back to Starbucks’ turnaround plan.

Starbucks will pilot an AI chatbot to help baristas remember recipes and troubleshoot equipment problems.
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Overview

  • Green Dot Assist is powered by Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI platform and is live at 35 US stores with a full US and Canada rollout slated for fiscal year 2026.
  • Baristas can query the tool via in-store tablets for instant access to drink recipes, step-by-step videos and equipment troubleshooting guidance.
  • The AI assistant also offers food pairing suggestions and can alert managers to fill staffing gaps by generating shift-coverage requests.
  • The initiative aligns with CEO Brian Niccol’s effort to cut order times to four minutes or less amid a recent decline in comparable store sales.
  • Analysts hail the pilot as a crucial test for large-scale AI integration in restaurants but warn that accuracy and potential outages will be key challenges.