AI Tool Aims to Spark Beverage Inspiration
Starbucks has introduced a beta app within ChatGPT designed to help customers discover new drinks based on mood, flavor preferences and dietary needs. The feature allows users to enable the Starbucks integration through ChatGPT’s app directory and submit prompts that include “@Starbucks.”
Customers can refine their beverage choices and select a pickup location through the chatbot interface. However, final purchases must still be completed through the Starbucks mobile app or website, preserving the company’s loyalty-driven ordering ecosystem.
“Over the past year, one thing has become clear: Customers aren’t always starting with a menu,” said Paul Riedel, senior vice president of digital and loyalty. He noted that many begin with a feeling or craving rather than a specific product, and the new tool is designed to capture that moment of inspiration.
Part of Broader Turnaround Strategy
The beta launch aligns with Starbucks’ broader “Back to Starbucks” initiative aimed at reviving U.S. traffic. The company has reintroduced seating in stores, streamlined its menu and brought back tiered rewards within its loyalty program.
On its own mobile platform, Starbucks has also promoted drink discovery through trending beverage categories and curated “secret menu” options under promotional tabs. Personalized discovery has become especially important for attracting Gen Z consumers, who tend to gravitate toward distinctive and customizable beverages.
Early signs suggest the strategy is gaining traction. After two years of declining store visits, Starbucks reported higher customer transactions in its fiscal first quarter ended December 28.
Expanding AI Partnerships
The ChatGPT beta marks another step in Starbucks’ use of generative artificial intelligence. In 2025, the company introduced Green Dot Assist, an AI-powered assistant for baristas built on Microsoft Azure’s OpenAI platform.
Starbucks joins other major consumer brands experimenting with commerce through AI chat interfaces. Companies including Walmart, Etsy and Booking.com are also testing shopping and purchasing capabilities via ChatGPT integrations.
By embedding product discovery into conversational AI, Starbucks is betting that future ordering behavior will increasingly begin not with a menu board, but with a digital dialogue.