My Coffee Machine Knows Me Better Than My Barista
Recently, it started asking if I enjoyed my coffee after each brew.
But then it happened with my tea. At first, I rolled my eyes, "do I really need an AI-powered feedback loop for hot water?". I use the same machine to dispense water for my Yorkshire builder’s tea (because some of us like both caffeine and clarity). And yes, it even asked if I enjoyed that.
Initially skeptical, I began responding to the prompts out of curiosity. Over time, I noticed something surprising: the brews, both coffee and tea, genuinely started improving.
Behind the scenes, the machine was using my preferences to subtly adjust recipes and brewing parameters.
Is this AGI? Not even close.
But it is a great example of how limited agency, feedback loops, and narrow AI can combine to create a more personalized and effective user experience.
Small interactions. Big impact. And all before I’ve finished my first mug.