Starbucks Unveils Green Dot Assist, Powered by Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI Platform

Using Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI platform, Starbucks is adding a generative AI assistant to 35 stores this month. The technology’s intent is to help baristas improve efficiency and decrease service wait times.

Named “Green Dot Assist,” the platform was introduced to North American store managers at Starbucks’ Leadership Experience earlier this week in Las Vegas. If successful, the program will be launched across the U.S. and Canada in the fall.

“It’s just another example of how innovation technology is coming into service of our partners and making sure that we’re doing all we can to simplify the operations, make their jobs just a little bit easier, maybe a little bit more fun, so that they can do what they do best,” Starbucks Chief Technology Officer Deb Hall Lefevre told CNBC.

Green Dot Assist Capabilities

Starbucks’ Green Dot AI will be available to baristas via a tablet behind the counter. Instead of manually sifting through manuals or searching the coffee retailer’s intranet, baristas can simply ask the AI for assistance with tasks, such as solving equipment failures or finding a recipe for a particular drink. Employees can get help by either typing a query or speaking directly to the tech.

Future updates for Green Dot include contacting tech support automatically for equipment problems. The AI may at one point even assist with staffing issues by suggesting employee substitutions when a barista calls off work.

Green Apron Model

On top of Green Dot, Starbucks is implementing a new staffing and service system across 18,000 North American locations by the end of summer.  Already used in 700 stores, the “Green Apron” model updates store procedures to handle orders more efficiently, including a dedicated barista for the drive-thru.

In initial tests, Green Apron significantly improved service times while also increasing sales. The new system is a crucial step toward Starbucks CEO Brian Niccols’ larger strategy to bring the coffee chain back to its old-school roots.

With the aim to enhance customers’ in-store experiences, the “Back to Starbucks” initiative reintroduced milk and sugar stations, which were removed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personalized cups, when the barista writes the customer’s name using a Sharpie pen on the cup, also made a comeback.