Zest's AI agent books restaurants over text; DoorDash sees few agent…

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA startup called Zest has built an AI concierge you text, and it picks a restaurant, runs a vote in your group chat, and books the table.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo it ends the where-do-you-want-to-eat thread. Nobody has ever won that thread.

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   Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt books through OpenTable, Resy and SevenRooms, and it personalizes suggestions using your credit card data, limited to food and drink purchases.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentIt reads your card history? It knows about the three Tuesdays in a row.

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   Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentMeanwhile DoorDash's CEO says outside AI agents have sent maybe several hundred orders in total, against nine hundred ninety-three million orders last quarter.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSeveral hundred out of nine hundred ninety-three million.

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   Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThat's my number for the segment. Zest's founder says the agent is the product now, and DoorDash says the agents are mostly a rumor.

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   Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSeveral hundred orders is not a revolution. It's one office birthday party.