Starbucks taps ChatGPT to match your mood with a drink

Driving the news: Starbucks' beta app is now available in ChatGPT, built around consumers' appetite for personalization.

• The company has been leaning into customization, including a "secret menu" and trending drink features fueled by social media.

How it works: In ChatGPT, users can prompt @Starbucks with requests like "something bright to start my morning" or "an afternoon boost that isn't too sweet."

• Customers can also upload a photo — like their outfit or the weather — to get drink suggestions that match the vibe, the company says.
• They can customize drinks and start an order before finishing checkout in Starbucks' app or website, Starbucks says.

What they're saying: Customers "aren't always starting with a menu — they're starting with a feeling," said Paul Riedel, Starbucks' SVP of digital & loyalty.

• "This is the kind of technology that sparks creativity and helps customers discover something new," Riedel said.

Yes, but: As AI takes a bigger role in everyday choices, tools like this raise questions about how much decision-making consumers outsource.

• It's an early test of whether AI can shape what people buy — not just in stores, but in restaurants.
• AI-powered features like this also can be costly to build and run, especially at scale.

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