Behind the Curtain: Why Franchisors Need an AI Specialist Before Building Technology In-House
Behind the Curtain breaks down what’s actually working inside franchise systems, cutting through surface-level best practices to spotlight the strategies brands are using to win right now, pulled directly from our monthly insider newsletter, Franchise Unfiltered. Each edition captures the behind-closed-doors conversations, experiments, and proven tactics shaping real franchise growth before they become industry talking points.
Last month, I wrote about how AI is changing the supplier side of franchising and what it will take for long-term success. This month, I want to build on that idea, but shift the focus to franchisors.
As the barrier to building technology continues to get lower, we are already seeing many franchisors go down the route of developing tools in-house. There is clear value in building technology around the specific needs of your system, but I think the more interesting conversation is what that requires from the corporate team.
The People Behind the Technology
Brands will need to think differently about the people behind the technology. Corporate teams are built around supporting franchisees to run profitable locations and keeping the system moving forward. But when a brand starts developing tools in-house, a different type of person is required inside the corporate team.
AI may make it easier to build, but there is still time, cost, and focus that goes into doing it well. That person needs to understand where the bottlenecks are, whether the investment actually makes sense, and how to make sure what gets built actually makes life easier for the people using it.
Why an AI Specialist Matters
This is where I think we will start to see a role like AI specialist become much more prevalent in franchise brands. AI is moving too quickly for brands to treat it like something people figure out on the side. If a brand wants to build technology in-house, it needs someone who can separate real opportunities from distractions and understand where an impact can be made.
Building Is Not Always the Answer
Just because AI gives brands the ability to build tools does not mean they need to go down that path. In many cases, the better decision may still be to partner with the right supplier.
But for the brands that do decide to develop technology, the people and structure behind it become just as important as the tool itself. Without that, it risks creating something that does more harm than good.
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