Starbucks Plans AI-Powered Personalized Menus for Customers

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced plans to use artificial intelligence to recognize customers as they arrive and present personalized digital menus, drawing comparisons to a scene from the 2002 film Minority Report. The company outlined "major tech modernization" for 2027 on an earnings call, including testing background AI models in drive-thrus to help baristas input orders. Starbucks spokesperson confirmed early-stage exploration but provided no implementation details. Consumer advocates criticized the move, with Groundwork Collaborative president Lindsay Owens warning of surveillance pricing and potential FTC scrutiny. She argued personalized menus could lead to different prices for the same products without customer knowledge.