Guests of the Wyndham Orlando Resort & Conference Center in Celebration are getting a kick out of cocktails made by the new bartender, Sara.
Sara is an AI-powered robotic bartender utilizing artificial intelligence and voice recognition technology to mix tequila drinks with Casa Azul blanco, añejo and reposado varieties using recipes she’s programmed to create.
She’s a customized version of a product made by the Israeli company Cecelia.ai, which was founded in 2018. The startup’s original AI bartender — named Cecelia — collects consumer data on favorite drinks, peak times and commonly used keywords to get actionable insights, increase sales and improve the experience, according to the company website.
Sara does the same, though her conversational style and scope was fashioned to suit the unique partnership between Casa Azul and Wyndham Orlando.
First deployed at the resort on June 26, she will spend most of her time at H Street Grille, the resort’s on-site restaurant, said the Casa Azul news release. But because she operates 24/7, she’ll also have time to accommodate larger groups and parties throughout Wyndham Orlando.
CEO Daniel Berman of AD1 Global, the group that manages the resort, said in a prepared statement the partnership with Casa Azul is intended to create a “memorable mix of entertainment and hospitality.”
The sales team at Cecelia.ai pitches the product to hotels, airports, cruise ships, offices, VIP lounges, stadiums, casinos and other venues as an extra pair of hands to help bartenders and a functional conversation piece. So far, Florida International University’s Bacardí Center of Excellence, Aroma Espresso Bar, Global Jewish Advocacy and Microsoft, among others, have been picked up as clients, according to the company website.
FIU Director Brian Connors of the Bacardí Center of Excellence — who is also an advisory board member at Cecelia.ai — told Miami Herald in 2022 the robot is not intended to replace the human connection, “but it also solves a problem,” he said. “Currently we’re having a little bit of a challenge with labor ... and she helps.”
Connors said he believes this is just the beginning of how AI can serve in the hospitality industry.
“We’re going to see more in this space of using technology to enhance the guest’s experience,” he said.
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