The company will begin testing AI for some orders, including using a form of customer recognition.

Could an AI barista know you’re craving an iced caramel macchiato? Starbucks says it will begin testing artificial intelligence for drive-up ordering — including recognizing customers as they approach — as the company focuses on integrating more automated tech, CEO Brian Niccol said on last week’s fourth-quarter 2026 earnings call.

The idea is to make ordering “faster, more convenient and more personal” for drive-up customers, which account for roughly half of all Starbucks patrons, according to Niccol. The company would begin testing background AI models for drive-thrus sometime during fiscal year 2027, which ends Sept. 28, 2027. There were no specifics as to where the testing would take place or how it would affect food and drink prices.

Niccol said AI would help input orders “more accurately and efficiently” while the baristas talk to drive-up customers to increase personal connection and speed up service.

The AI could also know what you want, or might want, before you even engage with the human barista. Niccol said the company is exploring ways for automated systems to recognize repeat customers as they drive up and offer “personalized digital menus,” possibly including suggested purchases.

While the exact kind of systems that would be tested to recognize customers weren’t specified, possible methods could include facial recognition, license plate reading or perhaps mobile app detection. It also remains to be seen which methods would require explicit customer consent or offer an opt-out mechanism.

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