Alice Guéhennec's journey in technology began at a surprisingly young age. Growing up in France, she was introduced to computing when she received her first Commodore desktop computer at the age of six.
Her passion for technology blossomed during her years studying IT and computer science at a research university in northern France. Following more than ten years in consulting, her career took off, leading her to achieve C-suite roles four times. Guéhennec served as the deputy chief information officer at the Paris government agency Préfecture de Police, became CIO at Sodexo in France— a major player in foodservice— and then assumed the position of group chief digital and information officer at Saur, a water management service company. In September 2023, she rejoined Sodexo, taking on the role of chief technology, data, and digital officer.
In her current position, Guéhennec manages an impressive annual tech budget of approximately 500 million euros (around $571 million USD) for Sodexo, which is ranked No. 156 on the latest Fortune 500 Europe list. One of her notable investments is in an AI tool aimed at enhancing chefs' time in the kitchen by reducing their time spent on administrative tasks. AI is also utilized to optimize staffing and automate purchasing and pricing decisions.
Guéhennec emphasizes the importance of widespread AI adoption within the company, noting, “It’s about increasing adoption and putting AI everywhere at scale.” Sodexo, generating around $28 billion in annual revenue, derives about 60% of its income from food services in educational institutions, corporate offices, stadiums, hospitals, and airport lounges. This sector experiences significant fluctuations in demand, influenced by school schedules, sporting events, and varying return-to-office policies.
Moreover, the company faces challenges related to ingredient availability due to crop seasonality and fluctuating food prices, which can be affected by global events such as geopolitical tensions. To address these challenges, Guéhennec developed an internal AI initiative called “Menu AI,” designed to streamline the menu creation process by taking into account raw material costs, seasonal variations, and local demand. According to Sodexo, this innovation has reduced the time required to generate menus from weeks to a single day, allowing chefs to focus on culinary creativity.
“We’ve deployed it at thousands of locations,” Guéhennec states. “Many teams were spending too much time on laptops when they should be cooking.”
Sodexo is also looking into AI applications that can align with emerging food trends identified on social media, thereby expediting the process of creating contemporary menu offerings. “We are working to develop AI that generates new recipes based on current market trends,” Guéhennec added, indicating that this project is still being refined.
The remaining 40% of Sodexo’s revenue stems from facilities management, where Guéhennec has implemented AI solutions to assist site managers in optimizing their staffing and cleaning schedules, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently based on actual usage, rather than a pre-set routine. AI also provides data-driven insights to recommend specific actions, such as advising one location to restock coffee while another may not require afternoon refills.
Guéhennec notes that each significant AI initiative starts as a pilot at around five to ten sites across Sodexo’s 43 operating countries. This localized testing is crucial for gathering feedback that promotes user adoption. Employees are encouraged to request access to AI tools like Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini Enterprise if they believe it will enhance their productivity.
“Empowering people to use AI is essential for encouraging adoption,” emphasizes Guéhennec. “A solely top-down approach simply won’t be effective.”
Sodexo is also in the early phases of trialing cashier-less stores utilizing AI and computer vision technology, following mixed results seen by larger retailers such as Amazon. Implemented at two universities in St. Louis, this checkout-free experience has reportedly boosted sales, resulting in a 56% increase at one campus and a 28% increase with an 11% rise in average transaction size at the other.
Globally, the company has rolled out about 200 robots, including 100 dedicated to cleaning floors and 85 delivery robots, primarily in the U.S. Looking ahead, Guéhennec reveals aspirations to integrate kitchen robots, aimed at taking over repetitive and potentially hazardous tasks.
“We are actively seeking robots capable of safeguarding our kitchen environments and minimizing risk by handling less safe operations,” she expressed.
In the broader tech landscape, Wall Street is displaying skepticism toward the current AI hype cycle, with significant financial losses reported by major players like Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, Apple, Meta, Tesla, and Amazon. This has sparked concerns regarding the extensive investments in AI infrastructures, which may not see immediate returns as the market grapples with ongoing uncertainties.
OpenAI recently announced the limited rollout of its latest model, GPT-5.6 Sol, available only to select customers approved by the U.S. government following the Trump administration’s request for tighter controls. Meanwhile, Anthropic struck a deal with California to offer its Claude products at discounted rates to state and local agencies.
Amid these developments, hiring continues in the tech sector, with various companies seeking senior leaders in IT and technology roles. Recent appointments include Rupesh Chokshi as CTO at Tata Communications and Niranjan Vijayaragavan as CTO at Five9, indicating a dynamic landscape for talent acquisition in technology.
Overall, the evolving landscape of AI in businesses emphasizes not just the technology's capabilities but also the necessity for effective training and user engagement to fully harness its potential.
