Starbucks uses ChatGPT to suggest drinks based on mood as expert warns of hidden downsides
Not sure what to order at Starbucks? The company is now using ChatGPT to help customers decide.
The Seattle-headquartered coffee giant announced Tuesday that it's begun testing a beta app within ChatGPT to help with beverage customization.
The recommendations can be "tailored to your taste, mood and goals," according to the Starbucks app.
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The tool can even take into account what the weather is — and what drink might pair best with a user's outfit.
It also allows customers to select a nearby store and begin an order, which can be completed through the Starbucks app or website.
To access the app, customers can open ChatGPT, access the app directory and search for "Starbucks."
Then, ChatGPT users can send a prompt along the lines of, "@starbucks, I'd like a good coffee to start my day."
Paul Riedel, senior vice president of digital and loyalty at Starbucks, told Fox News Digital the move reflects shifting consumer behavior over the past year.
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"Over the past year, one thing has become clear: Customers aren't always starting with a menu," he said. "They're starting with a feeling."
Riedel added, "We wanted to meet customers right at that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever [for them] to find a drink that fits."
The rollout highlights how companies are using AI to personalize experiences, said Marva Bailer, a Georgia-based strategic advisor and board member specializing in AI and emerging technologies.
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"Starbucks has the opportunity to leverage visuals and descriptions of products reflecting travel, discovery and creativity as an extension of their brand," she said.
"We have experienced ChatGPT planning dinner parties, leaving out no detail. Think the same for this daily interaction."
The effort shows that Starbucks is "meeting people where they likely already are mentally," said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist based in New York City and the author of the upcoming book "Therapy Nation."
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"Most customers aren't walking in thinking, 'I want a triple espresso with oat milk.' They're thinking, 'I'm exhausted. I need a pick-me-up,' or 'It's cold out, and I want something comforting,'" Alpert said.
The result is an ordering process that feels "easier and more personal," he said.
"I think most consumers will be comfortable with AI influencing low-stakes decisions like coffee because it feels fun and low risk," he said.
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"But the bigger shift is behavioral: People are getting more used to outsourcing tiny daily decisions to machines."
Alpert said the approach could pose a risk, warning the AI may "naturally lean into emotional gratification" and push users toward more caloric drinks.
"If someone says they're stressed, tired or want a reward, the system may keep nudging them toward sweeter, more indulgent, higher-calorie drinks because those are the easiest emotional matches," Alpert noted.
"That's good for sales," he said — "but over time, it can quietly reinforce impulse-driven choices and make people less aware of how much the technology is shaping what they consume."
