In time for Opening Day 2017, the Milwaukee Brewers announced a significant upgrade to their MLB Ballpark app that will include Bernie Bot — an artificial intelligence (AI) service that acts as a liaison to guest services.
Along with several upgrades to Miller Park’s concession offerings, the club revealed Bernie Bot — Bernie Brewer is the team mascot — would be available to fans. The Brewers are one of the Major League teams to have AI incorporated into their Ballpark mobile application.
“We want everything to be really easy for (fans) and we want everything to be convenient,” Brewers communications coordinator Nicole Blackman told WISN. “Hopefully both of these things will help that, and just upgrade their whole fan experience.”
Bernie Bot comes preloaded with plenty of data to answer common ballpark questions, and when the AI falls short, queries are automatically directed back to guest services.
“You can ask it any question, and you are going to get a response,” Brewers vice president of communications Tyler Barnes told a Fox6 News. “It’s going to really give you a ton of information, eliminate any confusion, and we really think with the new concessions operation, it is a great feature for us to unveil this year.”
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Also included in the update to the Brewers’ Ballpark app is a new “Food & Beverage Finder.” From anywhere in the stadium, fans can select their location and a concession item they are looking for to receive directions to the nearest concessions stand that that has the goods.
“If the food is great, but nobody knows where it is, that doesn’t help. We want people to be informed and to find things accessible,” Milwaukee Brewers CEO Rick Schlesinger told a CBS 58 News. “I think when fans come here on opening day they’re going to be in for a real treat. We really have a transformational experience.”