High On AI ››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››››› JE T 'S PI Z Z A
You might assume Domino’s is leading the way in bringing AI to the pizza industry. After all, the chain’s executives have proclaimed that it is, first and foremost, a technology company. But, while Domino’s isn’t exactly lagging behind—it has been using DOM, an AI-powered ordering assistant bot, for years—other smaller brands have also been AI-based ordering has running point in this AI revolution. generated $6 million Foremost among them: Jet’s Pizza, the Detroitper month in sales for Jet’s Pizza, the brand style chain headquartered in Sterling Heights, said in July. Michigan, with about 440 locations in 23 states. Jet’s says it has fulfilled more than 5 million orders with the OrderAI Text and OrderAI Talk systems goal: develop a generative AI assistant that will from HungerRush. The text-to-order option streamline day-to-day managerial tasks, like began in 2019, and, as of July 2023, 4 million inventory management, ingredient ordering orders had gone through. Moreover, in December and staff scheduling. It will also help with pizza 2021, the brand started piloting Order AI Talk, an preparation and quality control and could free up AI-powered chatbot. It’s now available at 240 stores store managers to spend more time with customers in 20 states and has already surpassed 1 million and team members. orders. In July, the company said it was earning $6 “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence… million per month using AI tech. will revolutionize not just the tech industry but Aaron Nilsson, Jet’s chief information officer, the restaurant industry as well, and pizzerias are noted at the time that AI has made employees’ no exception,” says Bobby Lawson, publisher and jobs easier, too. “One of the biggest concerns we technology editor at Earthweb, an online business, were hearing from franchisees was getting enough technology and lifestyle publication and resource applications in the door, so we addressed this with discovery platform. technology,” he said. “OrderAI can take infinite So what are AI’s potential applications for phone calls, which is instrumental in getting pizzeria operators? “For marketing, AI can be used employees off the phones and back into the fun for personalized customer engagement,” Lawson part of the job—making delicious pizzas.” says. “They can use artificial intelligence to collect Nilsson added that Jet’s has “seen less turnover data about customer feedback, order history and as work stress has been reduced. Technology has preferences. They can then use this to create created a better work environment and, let’s be a more personalized marketing campaign and honest, it’s really fun for our customers to use.” send emails with recommendations based on the But Domino’s is very much in the AI game, too. customer’s order history and preferences.” In October, the brand announced a new five-year Additionally, Lawson says, partnership with Microsoft “AI can make operations “to create the next generation “OrderAI can take infinite a smoother process if it’s of pizza ordering and store phone calls, which is used to optimize inventory operations with generative instrumental in getting management. With all the AI technology and cloud employees off the phones data that AI can collect, computing power.” Domino’s it will be able to track revealed that it had been and back into the fun inventory levels. The AI experimenting with data part of the job—making system can then be trained and AI capabilities to “make delicious pizzas.” to generate reorder points, store operations smarter, assisting pizzerias in simpler and more robust.” reducing food waste and The Microsoft partnership’s Aaron Nilsson, Jet’s Pizza DECEMBER 2023 | PMQ.COM
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