Chipotle CEO outlines AI's role in company's planned growth
Chipotle's AI-powered hiring platform has cut hiring times by 75%, according to its chief executive officer (CEO), amid the company's plan to significantly expand this year.
The AI platform, called "Ava Cado," was first introduced in October last year to make the company's hiring process more efficient.
"So, Ava has reduced the time to hire by about 75%, which allows us to get quicker access to better talent," said Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright during the recent Fortune COO Summit.
Boatwright unveiled the gain as he lamented losing high-quality individuals who are looking for job opportunities because of a "protracted hiring process."
"This not only helps us keep our restaurant staffed, but ensures we have the best talent that’s available in the industry," the CEO said.
Ava Cado uses conversational AI to collect basic information, schedule interviews for hiring managers, and send offers to candidates selected by managers, according to Chipotle earlier this year.
It was utilised during the company's busy "Burrito Season" in March, and Boatwright noted that Ava's reduction in hiring times will benefit the company's planned expansion.
"We will double to about 200,000 team members this year… we will open a new Chipotle restaurant this year almost every 24 hours," Boatwright said.
Chipotle currently has more than 130,000 employees, according to the CEO and has plans to open more than 300 new locations this year and expand to Mexico.
"If you think about the growth that's ahead of us, the need for highly capable, purpose-driven, value-oriented individuals is more critical today than it probably ever has been for our brand," he said.
Chipotle's AI hiring platform is just one of the areas where the company has introduced technology to improve employee experience.
According to Boatwright, they also have robots in the kitchens called "cobotics," and they also use AI in their loyalty system.
The company's implementation of emerging technology comes amid fears that these tools would eventually replace humans in the workplace.
"We don't look to replace the human experience," Boatwright said. "We look to remove waste and expand or enhance the team member experience."
