McDonald’s has decided to end its global partnership with IBM, which has been conducting trials of AI-powered automated order-taking systems at selected drive-thru locations since 2021, Associated Press reports.
McDonald’s AI-driven drive-thru experiment faced criticism for inaccuracies and misunderstandings in customer orders. However, McDonald’s remains open to future AI initiatives, particularly in voice ordering solutions. McDonald’s and IBM affirmed their intention to continue collaborating on other projects despite concluding their AI-driven drive-thru partnership. McDonald’s emphasized its ongoing use of IBM products across its global operations. Additionally, McDonald’s recently initiated a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud to leverage generative AI for various business priorities, aiming to optimize restaurant operations worldwide.
The fast food industry has increasingly turned to AI technologies to streamline operations, enhance speed, and reduce costs. In the United States, Wendy’s has teamed up with Google Cloud for its “Wendy’s FreshAI” chatbot, while White Castle is working with SoundHound AI to introduce voice-powered AI across over 100 restaurants by the end of 2024.
