Starbucks and ChatGPT: AI Reinvents Your Coffee Order

Starbucks and ChatGPT: AI Reinvents Your Coffee Order

Starbucks has recently launched an innovative app using ChatGPT, which allows users to receive personalized drink recommendations. This app, currently in beta, offers suggestions based on user preferences, the weather, or even a photo of their outfit. Users can initiate their order via ChatGPT and finalize it on the Starbucks app or website, adding customizations such as cold foam or matcha powder, and selecting a location to pick up their order.

The app also allows users to transform the mood or a photo of their outfit into a coffee order. Users can request drinks that capture the essence of a sunset or change the vibe of their workday. Paul Riedel, Senior Vice President of Digital and Loyalty at Starbucks, explained that this technology aims to meet customers at the moment of inspiration, making it easier to find the perfect drink. He emphasized that the app is an opportunity for Starbucks to listen and learn from user feedback to continuously improve the experience.

"Over the past year, one thing has become clear: customers don’t always start with a menu. They start with a feeling," Riedel said. He added that the technology aims to make customers more excited about their drink. "As a beta experience, it’s also an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and refine as we go," he stated. "You will see us continue to explore new ways technology can delight our customers while supporting our baristas. This is just the beginning."

A Trend Towards Agentic Commerce

Starbucks' initiative is part of a broader trend towards "agentic commerce," where chatbots not only suggest products but also help purchase them. Companies like Walmart and Target have already integrated ChatGPT into their platforms to enhance the shopping experience. Delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats are also using ChatGPT to turn recipes into purchasable grocery lists and facilitate restaurant orders. Fast-food chains, such as Burger King and Firehouse Subs, have adopted similar apps to help customers find deals and nearby locations.

AI at the Heart of Starbucks Innovation

This is not the first time Starbucks has integrated AI into its operations. In June 2025, the company announced the rollout of Green Dot Assist, a virtual assistant for baristas powered by Microsoft Azure's OpenAI platform. Initially tested in 35 locations, this tool will be expanded to other sites this year. These initiatives demonstrate how quickly AI is becoming an integral part of consumers' daily decisions, even for actions as simple as ordering a coffee.