Starbucks' bizarre new ChatGPT app leaves people very divided
Some Starbucks customers are obsessed with Starbucks’ ‘epic’ new ChatGPT collaboration, while others have been scratching their heads, questioning if we really need AI to 'tell us what to drink’.
On 15 April, Starbucks launched a beta version of its app in ChatGPT, promising that it would help fans to ‘discover drinks in a way that feels natural, personal, and fun.”
“Whether you’re describing your mood or sharing a photo that captures your vibe, the Starbucks app in ChatGPT translates your inspiration into Starbucks drink suggestions crafted just for you,” the company wrote via a press release.
The tool is engineered to help coffee lovers select menu favourites and discover hidden gems.
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All you need to do is tell the AI chatbot what you fancy - whether that be something high in protein with a light, fluffy texture, or an afternoon pick-me-up that isn’t caffeinated - and it will highlight some menu items that you may enjoy.
You can also use the app to upload images of your outfits or your location, and the algorithm will provide hyper-specific recommendations based on what you submitted.
“The beta Starbucks app in ChatGPT is part of our ongoing effort to make drink discovery at Starbucks a personal experience,” the press release read.
“We’ve enhanced discovery in the Starbucks app with a trending beverage category and a secret menu, harnessing the power of customisation that occurs every day in social media and with our baristas.
“And now, in ChatGPT, we are using AI to support something very human: helping you discover a drink you’ll love.”
To use it, all you need to do is enable Starbucks connectivity in the ChatGPT app, and then type @Starbucks.
According to Paul Riedel, Starbucks’ senior vice president of digital and loyalty, the collab has come about because customers aren't heading into Starbucks to peruse the menu anymore.
"They’re starting with a feeling .... We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits," he said, as per CNBC.
Naturally, the announcement has divided the internet, with one Instagram user typing: “This is epic.”
On Reddit, one person predicted: “People talk to AI bots like theyre their IRL friends. I ask my friends what they recommend all the time. People will use this.”
Others aren’t as convinced, with one Redditor questioning: “Why the f**k do we need ChatGPT to tell us what to drink wtf is wrong with people.”
Another said: “It’s silly and AI is trash but it sounds like they’re recognising a lot of Gen Z go on GPT a lot to ask questions on basic decisions they have trouble making so natural companies will see if that can translate into more engagement and sales.
“That said, and coming from a psych, I am worried about Gen Z’s increased over engagement and over reliance on AI and esp on Chat GPT. They’re losing their ability to think on their own and that’s extremely concerning.”
Joe Wilkins, a journalist at Futurism, is another internet user who is less than impressed by the new Starbucks ChatGPT collab.
He allegedly tried it out, asking the chatbot to give him a ‘drink to order for the 2026 Gathering of the Juggalos’ and for a beverage that ‘matched’ his vibe, followed by an image of Elon Musk’s Baphomet armour.
The writer said that both times, the built-in Starbucks app suggested ordering an Iced Mango Dream Energy Drink.
The prompt reportedly read that: “You don’t sip something subtle — you arrive with it.”
Will you be trying out the new Starbucks ChatGPT widget?
FOODbible has contacted Starbucks for comment.
Topics: Starbucks , US Food, UK Food, Social Media
Ella Scott