Name
The Algorithm Is Not the Bartender: AI, Gen Z & the Human Future of Alcohol Brands
Date & Time
Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:45 AM - 11:20 AM
Liz Batsche
Description

AI can recommend the drink. It cannot host the moment. As the first AI-native 21+ cohort, Gen Z experiences alcohol brands in a world shaped by hyper-personalization, retail media acceleration and algorithmic influence. While AI is transforming targeting, forecasting and digital activation, alcohol remains a fundamentally social, contextual category — where trial, loyalty and advocacy are built through lived experience. This session explores how AI enhances discovery and relevance, and where over-automation risks stripping warmth, intention and cultural credibility from brand experiences. Through interactive scenario work, attendees will assess where AI should automate, augment or remain human-led, with practical implications for field teams, experiential marketing and omnichannel execution.