AI is transforming how quick service restaurants (QSRs) operate - from customer personalization and supply chain optimization to delivering consistent, high-quality experiences at scale.In this episode of Reimagine with AI, Paul Bruffett, VP of Data & Analytics at Jack in the Box (Ex - Accenture & Starbucks), shares how AI is revolutionizing the fast-food industry and what it takes to scale innovation across millions of daily transactions.Tune in to discover:1) How to build scalable data infrastructure for millions of transactions daily2) The balance between AI-driven automation and human hospitality3) How personalization can deepen guest connections when done right4) Real-world generative AI use cases in QSRs5) What separates AI pilots from full-scale enterprise transformation6) The next wave of AI in hospitality: decision aids, simulations, and reinforcement learningWhy it matters:Quick service restaurants are a microcosm of AI’s biggest opportunities and challenges. Leaders across CPG, retail, and eCommerce can learn from how QSRs balance speed, scale, personalization, and technical debt to stay ahead.⏱ Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & guest background01:14 – Scaling data infrastructure for millions of transactions03:20 – Prioritizing insights when data is overwhelming04:45 – Key architectural decisions at Starbucks & Jack in the Box06:31 – Technical debt: balancing speed vs. scale07:25 – Does AI diminish or deepen hospitality?09:19 – Personalization at kiosks and in digital channels10:57 – Practical AI use cases in QSR today13:27 – Avoiding tech hype: focusing on real customer problems14:44 – Where AI is undervalued: supply chain, pricing, and forecasting16:07 – Pilots vs. transformation: separating leaders from laggards17:45 – Building AI-ready organizations and teams20:01 – The next frontier: QSR processes AI could disrupt21:59 – Generative AI for innovation and ideation24:49 – The “organizational memory” advantage of AI25:02 – What’s next for AI in QSRs26:38 – Personalization at scale: blending digital and physical experiences28:36 – Using tech to surprise and delight🎙 Guest:

Paul Bruffett, VP of Data & Analytics at Jack in the Box | Ex–Accenture, Starbucks

🎧 Host: Imteaz Ahamed, Host | Ex–Reckitt💡 Subscribe to Reimagine with AI by Sigmoid for more conversations with data and business leaders on how AI and analytics are reshaping industries.

AI isn’t just hype - it’s reshaping how CPGs win market share, innovate, and partner with retailer.In this episode of Reimagine with AI, host Imteaz Ahamed talks with Bas van Kesteren, GM of Opella E-Commerce and former leader at Reckitt, Sanofi, Unilever, and AB InBev. Together, they explore how AI is transforming every corner of CPG e-commerce, from retail media and supply chain to organizational design, and what leaders must do to stay ahead.Bas shares powerful lessons from leading digital commerce at some of the world’s biggest brands and breaks down where executives should focus as AI drives the next wave of disruption.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

• How AI lowers the cost of use cases and unlocks adoption at scale

• The new flywheel of media + innovation that will drive faster NPD pipelines

• Why retail media is shifting from “tax” to “growth engine”

• How to balance 70-20-10 across execution, scaling, and innovation

• The new capabilities every CPG e-commerce team must build for an AI-first world

Shankar Viswanathan, Chief Commercial Officer at Sigmoid and former senior executive at Procter & Gamble, shares how AI is transforming content, media, and product innovation in CPG and why the time to act is now.

🎙️ Topics Covered:

• The #1 transformation mistake senior leaders make

• Reverse mentoring and why humility beats hierarchy

• How AI is transforming content, media, and shelf execution

• Generative AI in R&D and demand forecasting

• The one thing every company must do today to unlock AI's value

  
  

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
03:00 – Shankar’s leadership journey across P&G and Sigmoid
07:30 – What drives successful AI transformation
11:00 – Reverse mentorship and learning from Gen Z
13:30 – Data strategy across emerging and developed markets
18:00 – How CPGs can mature their data and AI capabilities
20:00 – Breakthroughs in content, media, and shelf optimization
28:00 – Starting small: What leaders should do today
34:00 – GenAI in R&D, forecasting, and supply chain
41:30 – What CPG can learn from BFSI
44:00 – The biggest shift coming to CPG in 12–24 months