As artificial intelligence continues to influence nearly every industry, Starbucks is actively taking steps to incorporate the controversial technology into its operations.
The coffee chain’s CEO Brian Niccol discussed the matter during an appearance at Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce event, according to Fortune.
What does this mean for employees and customers? Here’s everything we know so far.
Starbucks Has Been Testing Various Forms of AI Technology
While customers head out on their local Starbucks run, the company has been testing AI technology behind the scenes to become the “world’s greatest customer service company again,” per Fortune.
In June, the coffee company announced it was working on a tool called “Green Dot Assist.” The virtual assistant, which is accessible via in-store iPads, was designed to “help baristas in real time” with the goal of “making their jobs a little easier while they build confidence and expertise.”
Green Dot Assist can remind baristas how to make certain drinks and provide “exceptional customer service,” according to the announcement.
As of June 2025, Green Dot Assist was available to baristas in 35 Starbucks locations, with the plan to roll out the technology in other shops in the future.
“This is a new era of innovation at Starbucks—one where AI enhances the partner experience and strengthens the connection between baristas and customers. Because when we invest in our partners, we’re investing in the future of our Starbucks experience,” the announcement read.
In an appearance on Yahoo Finance’s Opening Bid Unfiltered podcast, Niccol offered the following explanation of the technology:
“So if you run into an issue with a piece of equipment or how to build a certain drink, it’s a really fast way for us to then give them support with AI to get them to the right answer faster or to the right solution faster.”
How Else Is Starbucks Using AI?
Smart Q Technology
While discussing Starbucks’ use of AI, Niccol also described how the company is executing “smart Q” technology that helps baristas address incoming orders in a more efficient manner, per Fortune.
After seeing that orders were taken care of in the order they were received, Niccol realized that created a “bottleneck.” The company now focuses more on getting orders out in under four minutes in-store and at the drive-thru and at the scheduled time for mobile orders.
Inventory Management
A Starbucks spokesperson tells TODAY.com the company is already using AI to “optimize inventory management and demand forecasting.” As a result, stores can make sure they have “the right products at the right time” to reduce waste.
AI in the Starbucks App, Including Voice Ordering
Many store apps keep track of the items you regularly purchase and present them as suggested orders. Similarly, Niccol believes the Starbucks app could be used as a tool to predict customer orders.
A Starbucks spokesperson tells TODAY.com the company is considering the use of AI to help with predictive ordering and inventory in an effort to “anticipate customer demand even more accurately.”
Starbucks app users can already choose from recent orders, but a spokesperson says the company would like to explore the use of “voice-driven ordering experiences” that could be integrated with AI to create “more seamless and personalized” ordering experiences.
AI in Other Areas of the Company
While speaking at Dreamforce, Niccol mentioned that AI could also be used in other areas of the business.
Elaborating on the matter, a Starbucks spokesperson tells TODAY.com the company could potentially use AI in the sustainability arena in the future to track environmental impact, reduce food waste and optimize energy use.
Does Starbucks Have Plans to Automate Operations with Robots?
An increased reliance on AI technology certainly begs the question: Should Starbucks employees be concerned that their jobs will be replaced by robots in the future?
Niccol denied this, per Fortune, saying, “we’re not near that right now.” He also said the company was prioritizing putting “more partners back into our stores to give people a great, not robotic” experience.
At the same time, Starbucks recently announced major store closures and layoffs as part of Niccol’s $1 billion restructuring plan.
A spokesperson tells TODAY.com Niccol’s speech at Dreamforce emphasized the company’s commitment to using AI to “assist” employees, “making their jobs easier rather than replacing them.” One example includes the use of AI scheduling tools to help managers plan shifts.
Given the company’s renewed focus on “human connection,” the spokesperson says Niccol is prioritizing technology that will “enhance—not diminish—that experience.”
Starbucks Workers United Responds to the Use of AI
When TODAY.com reached out for comment to the company’s union, Starbucks Workers United, Jasmine Leli, a barista of three years from Buffalo, New York, offered the following statement: “It’s clear things are only going backward at Starbucks under Niccol’s leadership, with declining sales and brand perception. A fair union contract is critical to the company’s turnaround, but Starbucks is instead stonewalling their own baristas over less than one average day’s sales.”
The union also shared a video on social media to seemingly respond to the news that Starbucks is considering ramping up its use of AI.
In the clip, a person impersonates Niccol and also plays the role of an employee. The employee expresses frustration with understaffing and says AI technology can’t assist employees who don’t have enough people on hand to keep up with customer demand during busy times.
“Instead of fixing understaffed stores, Starbucks hands us a new AI tool that takes more time and creates tons of waste. Make it make sense! We know the real solution to the problems plaguing the company is a finalized union contract that includes better staffing — which is why hundreds of baristas continue to join our union every month 🔥,” the union captioned its post.
Customers Should Expect Menu Cuts
Looking ahead, Niccol told Fortune that Starbucks wants to create a more streamlined menu with “fewer, more popular items, executed with excellence.”
The CEO also told Yahoo Finance customers can expect “protein-forward” breakfast items (after recently launching protein cold foams and lattes) and artisanal pastries. During the Q3 earnings call over the summer, Starbucks announced plans to launch a “reimagined artisanal baked case and a bold new 1971 dark roast coffee” in all U.S. company-operated coffeehouses.
As far as the rest of 2026, the chain said it plans to release “more experiential beverages and nutritious-satisfying bites for the afternoon day part.” Over the summer, the company tested coconut water-based tea and coffee drinks in some markets, as other quick-service chains like McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A step up their drink game to appeal to Gen Z.
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