Just saw a barista using AI to design latte art at a cafe in Portland

I walked into this little shop downtown and the barista pulled up an AI generator on her tablet to make a custom foam pattern of a cat riding a unicorn! Has anyone else run into AI being used in random everyday places like that?

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milap354mo ago

Does it mess with the whole handcrafted coffee vibe or does the result actually look good?

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thomas.piper4mo ago

It depends on the barista honestly. If they know what they're doing with the technique and actually put care into the pattern, it can look really clean and impressive. A lot of the trendy spots push for this ultra photogenic approach where every single cup has to be a piece of art. But when it gets too complicated, like those faces or full landscapes, the coffee usually ends up sitting too long and the crema gets all messed up. The whole point of handcrafted coffee is the flavor and temperature, not just the photo. If the final drink tastes good and the pattern is simple but neat, it keeps the vibe intact. It's only a problem when the barista focuses more on the look than the actual pour.

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