Cortland noted “only a handful” of pubs appeared to realise they were talking to an AI voice agent.
But whether they knew if Rachel was real or not, some had a bit of banter with the price-conscious caller.
A Kilkenny bartender laughed at AI Rachel’s question and offered to pay for her pint.
“They’re normally €6.20, but if you can’t afford one, we’ll buy you one.”
When AI Rachel asked a pub in Derrygonnelly, County Fermanagh for their price, a bartender joked: “Twenty-five pound.
“But if you’re coming in for a wee drink, I’ll give it to you for a fiver.”
Doogie’s Bar owner John Doogan told BBC News NI he could not remember if he took the AI call but agreed the response “sounds like something I would say”.
He said he had “no problem” with a price comparison index.
“We’re sort of snookered here because Diageo (owner of Guinness) put the price up a few weeks ago.”
Doogan lamented that “the customer always pays” for corporate price hikes.