The fast food giant is pulling the plug on AI-powered voice ordering at about 100 establishments after viral videos of ordering mishaps.
McDonald's is scrapping a test of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted ordering at select drive-thru restaurants after videos of order mix-ups went viral online.
The fast-food giant's decision to pull its AI-powered voice ordering system from about 100 establishments comes as restaurant chains rush to adopt the technology to reduce rising labor costs.
McDonald's launched the pilot in partnership with IBM in a select number of drive-thru restaurants in the United States in 2021.
Trade publication Restaurant Business first reported the news on Friday.
“While there have been successes to date, we believe there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly,” Mason Smoot, director of restaurants at McDonald's USA, said in an email cited by Restaurant Business.
“After careful review, McDonald's has decided to end our current partnership with IBM on AOT and the technology will be turned off in all restaurants currently testing it no later than July 26, 2024.”
McDonald's indicated that the aborted test would not be the end of its experiments with AI, saying that “our work with IBM has given us confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of the future of our restaurants.”
“We see great opportunity in advancing our restaurant technology and will continue to evaluate long-term, scalable solutions that will help us make an informed decision on a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year,” the Chicago-based company said. in a statement to multiple American media outlets.
While McDonald's did not give a reason for ending the partnership, the move comes after TikTok users shared videos showing the system picking up orders from the wrong cars, multiplying orders and producing strange food combinations like ice cream with ketchup and butter.
Other major US fast food giants, including Chipotle, Wendy's, Carl's Jr, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, have been deploying artificial intelligence systems amid the promise of faster workflows and lower costs.
In April, Joe Park, chief technology officer at Yum Brands, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, told the Wall Street Journal that the group believes an “AI-first mindset works every step of the way.”
