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.…