Hold the Ketchup and Pass the A.G.I

The Real Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Your Restaurant

In the bustling world of restaurant technology, there’s a lot of buzz about Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolutionizing the industry. But let’s be honest – most of what we’re seeing isn’t AI. It’s just clever programming. The real game-changer is on the horizon, and it’s called Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).  AGI is the point at which computers can think like humans and use logic to solve problems, and it is happening.

Beyond Burger-Flipping Robots: The True AI Revolution

When you think of AI in restaurants, you might imagine robot chefs flipping burgers with uncanny precision – like something out of The Jetsons. Sure, that technology exists: it’s been around for years and isn’t transforming the industry as predicted. The true revolution lies not in the kitchen or dining room but in the back office.

Artificial General Intelligence, or AGI, refers to AI systems that match or surpass human capabilities across a wide range of tasks. Now, imagine this level of intelligence integrated with your staffing, Point of Sale (POS), inventory management, and marketing systems. You’re looking at a backend manager that registers 10 Einsteins on the intelligence level, plus they won’t talk back.

According to Leopold Aschenbrenner, formerly of OpenAI’s Superalignment team, top AI learning models could reach AGI capabilities by 2027 – less than three years from now. This isn’t science fiction; it’s a rapidly approaching reality that restaurant owners need to prepare for.

How AI Views the Three Pillars of Restaurant Operations

To understand where AGI will make its mark, let’s break down restaurant operations into three key areas:

1. Food Preparation: This is the domain of skilled chefs and kitchen staff. While robots can flip burgers, the cost-benefit ratio for small to medium-sized restaurants doesn’t justify replacing human creativity and expertise in the kitchen.
   
2. Customer Management: From greeting and seating to taking orders and ensuring customer satisfaction, this human-to-human interaction is crucial for gathering feedback and creating experiences that lead to positive reviews and repeat business.
   
3. Backend Operations: This is where the magic of AGI will happen. Staffing, inventory management, marketing, and financial operations are ripe for an AI revolution.
   
   Why backend operations?  Because in the vernacular of Willie Sutton “That’s where the data is”  These back end system generate an enormous amount of data daily. There just isn’t a lot done with all that data.  AGI will change that, turning your data into a powerful tool for decision-making and optimization.

The revolution is coming.

The Fork in the Road: Human General Managers meet AGI

A restaurant’s General Manager (GM) juggles administrative, operational, and people-management tasks daily. They’re often the linchpin of smooth backend operations. Many owners dream of cloning their best GMs and have nightmares about losing them. AGI offers a solution to this vulnerability by providing consistent, data-driven management support.

We’re approaching a critical juncture in restaurant management. Soon, many backend operations will shift from human General Managers to AGI systems. This doesn’t mean replacing GMs entirely; instead, it allows them to focus more on the crucial human elements of the business while AGI handles data-driven decision-making.

This is indeed a fork in the road.  However, it’s a fork where both paths need to be taken.  On the one path, the GM increases their focus on the human experience at the restaurant.  On the other path, AGI starts analyzing all the data and makes decisions about inventory, staffing and marketing.

Preparing for the AGI Future

To position your restaurant for the AGI revolution, start investing in systems that generate and give you OWNERSHIP of valuable data. Ownership means you can connect to, download and keep your data.  Key areas include:

• POS systems (e.g., Clover, Toast)
• Reservation systems (e.g., RESY)
• Inventory management (e.g., BlueMenu, MarketMan)
• Staff scheduling (e.g., Homebase)
• Marketing platforms (e.g., Vivaspot, HootSuite, Buffer)
  

By implementing these systems now, you’re laying the groundwork for future AGI integration. When the time comes, your AGI engine will interface with these systems, streamlining your backend operations with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency.

Let’s explore how A.G.I could work for your restaurant.

A.G.I Case Study : Hot New York Summer

The A.G.I would continuously manage all of these decisions and suggestions as new data concnerning the Hot New York Summer continues to come in. Your GM can then focus on implementing these strategies, managing staff, and ensuring top-notch customer experiences, while the AGI handles the complex data analysis and predictive modeling.

The Table is Set

The true AI revolution in the restaurant industry isn’t about robot chefs or automated servers. It’s about harnessing the power of Artificial General Intelligence to transform backend operations. By preparing now, restaurant owners can position themselves to leverage this technology, allowing them to focus on what really matters: creating exceptional dining experiences for their customers. The future of restaurant management is here, and it’s time to pull up a chair at the AGI table.

Have questions?  Want to explore further?  Reach out to us at Vivaspot by emailing us at sales@vivaspot.com or call us at 1-855-383-4662.