Howard Schultz isn't running Starbucks anymore-but his latest warning should make every CEO listen

"Schultz was curious to know what a customer thought of the coffee chain's protein lattes that debuted last month and he says there's no better place to source this information than one of the 40,000-plus Starbucks locations around the world. A sense of curiosity is important for a business leader, as well as a willingness to "be in the mud" and learn directly from customers, Schultz said during an interview broadcast to LinkedIn Premium members."

"Schultz didn't discuss Brian Niccol's turnaround strategy for Starbucks, other than crediting the CEO with making a "big bet" on the human experience, nor did he address the recent news that the company plans to close North American store locations and eliminate 900 jobs. But Schultz did talk about why a so-called 'third place,' where people can convene, is so important today, especially as artificial intelligence and other technology disrupt how many people do their work."

""We have made the strong decision that we are a people company and we want people to serve our customers," Schultz says. "You're not going to see a robot at Starbucks." But that doesn't mean Schultz is anti- AI. In fact, he calls himself a supporter of the technology because he sees the potential for it to benefit both companies and consumers-and Starbucks has invested in AI to help with back-of-house operations."

Howard Schultz retired from the Starbucks board two years ago and continues to engage directly with customers in stores worldwide. He sought customer feedback on the chain's new protein lattes and emphasizes observing in-store experiences. He values curiosity and a willingness to "be in the mud" to learn from customers. He credited CEO Brian Niccol with making a "big bet" on the human experience but did not address planned North American store closures and 900 job cuts. He asserts that Starbucks is a people company and rejects robots serving customers, while supporting AI investments for back-of-house operations and worrying about an AI "arms race".

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