Way back in 2019, when very few people were thinking about AI as a synthetic employee, Yum Brands had a vision for a "SuperApp" that would bring its primary systems – labor and inventory management, kitchen and delivery management, and point of sale – in-house.
Joe Park, CTO of Yum Brands (the parent company of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Habit Burger Grill), says the company has now adopted an "AI-first" approach to its operations. The goal is to better position the company to adapt to rising operational costs and evolving consumer expectations (such as AI-powered voice for drive-thrus and other CX experiences).
Despite this seemingly obvious human replacement strategy (I don't think it is a human replacement strategy, BTW), Yum asserts the importance of its workforce, viewing technology as a tool to augment the employee and customer experience. A closer look at the way the company is executing on its SuperApp affirms their commitment to their workforce as a core asset.
Yum's SuperApp has intrigued me since I learned about it years ago. It will be interesting to watch it evolve in the Generative Era.
As always your thoughts and comments are both welcome and encouraged. -s
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ABOUT SHELLY PALMER
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.
