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Krispy Kreme was in a hole. The company makes more than one billion doughnuts a year \u2014 but when it came to using robots to make its specialty doughnuts Instagram-worthy, the machines couldn\u2019t do it. \u201cIt got supermessy,\u201d CEO Josh Charlesworth told The Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n The solution should be music to anyone\u2019s ears who fears robots will replace us. The company is now hiring human artists to create limited-edition designs \u2014 Harry Potter, He-Man, Milk Bar collaborations \u2014 and doing 15 to 20 special runs a year plus seasonal collections. Customers lined up for a Harry Potter collection last year.<\/p>\n The human pivot is part of a broader turnaround. Krispy Kreme posted losses last year after a high-profile McDonald\u2019s partnership fell flat. The company has since cut costs, shed unprofitable delivery routes and shifted distribution to Walmart, Target and Kroger. Only 25% of its machine capacity is currently being used \u2014 meaning there\u2019s plenty of room to grow without adding automation.<\/p>\n In a world obsessed with AI, sometimes even a billion-doughnut operation needs a human touch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Krispy Kreme was in a hole. The company makes more than one billion doughnuts a year \u2014 but when it came to using robots to make its specialty doughnuts Instagram-worthy, the machines couldn\u2019t do it. \u201cIt got supermessy,\u201d CEO Josh Charlesworth told The Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n The solution should be music to anyone\u2019s ears who fears robots will replace us. The company is now hiring human artists to create limited-edition designs \u2014 Harry Potter, He-Man, Milk Bar collaborations \u2014 and doing 15 to 20 special runs a year plus seasonal collections. Customers lined up for a Harry Potter collection last year.<\/p>\n The human pivot is part of a broader turnaround. Krispy Kreme posted losses last year after a high-profile McDonald\u2019s partnership fell flat. The company has since cut costs, shed unprofitable delivery routes and shifted distribution to Walmart, Target and Kroger. Only 25% of its machine capacity is currently being used \u2014 meaning there\u2019s plenty of room to grow without adding automation.<\/p>\n In a world obsessed with AI, sometimes even a billion-doughnut operation needs a human touch.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n