I've seen the "success" a non-software company has been having, trying to integrate AI into their processes. A hypothetical competitor who chose not to do so would absolutely be coming out ahead right now.

I can't say whether this trend would continue, but the answer to your question today is "yes".

Genuinely curious, what could an LLM even do for an ice cream shop? Checkout already takes less time than scooping a cone, and it's even quicker with cash. Maybe it could surveil the customers and employees? But I think that will lose you more customers than it gains.

Generally I would expect the ROI to be negative, like we've seen with most corporate AI projects, so yeah any ice cream shop that didn't invest in "AI" is going to come out ahead of one that poured money into the pit.

There's more to AI than LLMs.

My local ice cream shop doesn't even have a computer in the building. Well, unless you count the credit card terminal.

Ice cream tends not to sell well in winter.

New York City seems to be a counterexample - gelato and ice cream stores everywhere that seem to do decent trade year-round...

Alas, no winter in my locality ever.