Throughout human civilization, only a handful of innovations have sparked as much fascination and controversy as artificial intelligence. Since the inception of the first intelligent machines, humanity has sought to refine them to streamline and enhance human labor. This endeavor culminated in November 2022 when ChatGPT emerged—a bot capable of answering any question based on information gathered until 2021.
This bot can solve mathematical equations, draft essays, or even compose entire books. All it needs is precise input from the user. It was only a matter of time before artificial intelligence began integrating into the world of bars. To some extent, it has been present for a while; the first robots for drink preparation emerged several years ago. However, with the advent of applications like ChatGPT and Midjourney, everything is changing. AI is increasingly impacting an industry previously focused exclusively on human interaction. Whether we embrace it or not, artificial intelligence is now part of bars and restaurants. But it’s up to us how we use it—can AI replace bartenders? How do we employ it in businesses? Where can we draw inspiration from?
I believe everyone in our industry can rest assured. Artificial intelligence can never replace the essence of our work. If it’s true that patrons visit establishments for socialization, there’s no need for concern. Gastronomy has always been and will remain an evolving industry. Therefore, incorporating artificial intelligence is merely another step forward. AI won’t take our jobs; quite the contrary. Thanks to AI programs, businesses can save time and money on creating promotional materials, designing menu visuals, or relieving administrative burdens. This allows management to focus more on working with employees and guests.
Moreover, leveraging artificial intelligence can serve as a competitive advantage. While the use of AI in businesses is approached cautiously, there are companies, personalities, and projects globally and locally choosing to employ AI in their work.
London Experiment
Back in 2019, the British company DataSparQ launched “A.I. Bar” events in collaboration with the 5CC Harrild & Sons establishment in London. The idea was to expedite service, streamline the system, and prevent queue-jumping. The project relied on cameras and sensors that captured guests upon entry and in the queue at the bar. On the screen above the bar, patrons could see their faces in real-time along with queue numbers based on their arrival order. Bartenders could view the people in line with their numbers on a tablet behind the bar, ensuring proper service order. However, the project didn’t garner much success. Understandably, people were wary of the company potentially misusing data, despite DataSparQ declaring deletion of all data within 24 hours.
AI-Driven Graphics
Moe Aljaff, a former legend of Barcelona’s bar scene who owns The Schmucks brand in the USA, claims to have created the first poster generated by artificial intelligence. It occurred during a guest shift with Millie Tang, whom he invited to his Miami pop-up bar, Schmuck or Die. The post is still available on the @schmuckordie profile, published on March 24, 2023. Curious about what AI can do with Instagram visuals or various cocktail menu illustrations? Check out the @bar_expo profile on Instagram. They expertly handled the tool of artificial intelligence, Midjourney, to generate diverse graphic elements. These graphics are then used to promote their venue’s events.
AI-generated graphic elements can deliver a cocktail menu experience even from far-off places like Australia. The latest menu from Maybe Sammy, an icon of Australia’s bar scene, named Mirage, combines natural phenomena, art, and illusions. Artificial intelligence designed a unique illustration for each drink, creating a surreal experience based on the input data. Anyone can view their menu’s visuals directly on the Maybe Sammy website.
Leveraging AI for Your Benefit
Even though artificial intelligence might sound like science fiction in our industry, it’s crucial to note that none of its creation would exist without being controlled by a real person. That’s why I asked a couple of AI enthusiasts who are also active bartenders for their insights.
One of them is Dmitry Demenev, who stumbled upon using artificial intelligence quite randomly. He participated in numerous bartending competitions and was interested in photography. One day, on vacation without a proper camera but needing to submit an entry for a competition, he used an image generated by AI based on neural networks—and was astounded by its quality. Then came ChatGPT, and there was no turning back.
When asked if the use of artificial intelligence is popular among renowned bartenders, he responded, “I think it’s not very popular yet. The problem is that we don’t see the potential AI brings. If we overlook it, our sector might completely miss out, and that would be a mistake. I’m sure many photographers and social media content creators employed by businesses are utilizing artificial intelligence. However, it’s rare for a business itself to use AI autonomously. Unfortunately, AI has gained a bad reputation because the internet flooded with posts about how it would take jobs away from creatives. But that’s not true. We all adapt to new technologies to make our work easier. AI will never create cocktail menus, prepare drinks, or manage a bar’s finances for us. It’s simply a tool that aids our work.”
My second question to Dmitry was whether there exists a community of people in gastronomy enthusiastic about AI for inspiration or guidance. He mentioned, “If such a community exists, I’m not aware of it. I’ve only seen a few businesses working with artificial intelligence, mainly in visual areas. I share my experiences and advice on social media or during training sessions for the bartender community. My mission is to spread awareness about artificial intelligence and how to work with it. The more people delve into this field, the easier it will be for all of us in gastronomy. I’m currently working on translating all my projects, whether social media posts or video reels, into the English language.”
Here are a few of Dmitry’s tips on leveraging artificial intelligence:
- Creating presentations
- Crafting social media content
- Visualizing drinks, even entries for bartending competitions
- Unique design for business merchandise
- Data analysis
The second AI enthusiast is the head bartender at Becher’s Bar in the Grandhotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, Jan Šebek. Since the beginning of his career, Jan has been one of the most progressive bartenders in the Czech Republic. This year, he reaffirmed his prowess at the prestigious Diageo World Class competition, winning the national Czech final and securing a place in the TOP 12 globally.
“Artificial intelligence is becoming an irreplaceable partner in many areas, including gastronomy and the bar industry. As a head bartender, I’ve been using AI for almost a year, and this tool has become indispensable in my everyday work. Every month, we develop new cocktails for our seasonal menu, special events, or guest shifts. AI, specifically ChatGPT, has become a quick and efficient source of ideas. It helps me expand my repertoire of ingredients, creating unique and creative drinks and house specialties. Additionally, artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in training employees and testing their knowledge of our menu. Within minutes, we can create tests that ensure consistent service and knowledge across the entire team. It’s also a great asset for marketing and emailing in crafting the right social media posts or important official emails. It can analyze the mood and tone of text, allowing us to write convincing and appealing messages for our guests and partners. Recently, I even utilized artificial intelligence in the final round of the World Class competition in the Czech Republic, and it was also a topic in the global final. In the national round, I created an AI avatar in human form that presented my vision of the importance of AI in the bartending industry. I showed that AI can be a strong ally, but at the same time, I emphasized that without human skill and passion for crafting cocktails, AI can never replace the bartender themselves.”
“I believe the future of artificial intelligence in the bar industry is clear. It will assist us in optimizing supplies, guest statistics, creating marketing content, and reducing administrative burdens. This will allow us to dedicate more time to our guests and team. AI is becoming a key partner for bar managers and head bartenders. It helps us be more creative, efficient, and improve communication with our guests. Although AI brings many advantages, it will never surpass human interaction and the passion for the craft. AI is a tool that makes our work easier, but ultimately, what makes bar culture so unique is the human touch. The article you’ve just read was created using AI, further evidence that the utilization of artificial intelligence is truly everywhere.”
“And finally? In the coming years, it’s very likely that none of us will escape artificial intelligence. From Face ID on our phones to automatic data entry during payments. Let’s not resist unnecessary innovation where it’s not needed.”
