In recent years, McDonald’s announced a partnership with IBM to develop a drive-through order taker powered by artificial intelligence. However, a series of social media videos emerged showing frustrated customers trying to correct comically inaccurate orders made by the A.I. drive-through system. These videos showcased instances like customers being charged for multiple items instead of one and misunderstanding order requests, leading to the cancellation of the partnership between McDonald’s and IBM. The decision exemplifies the challenges companies face as they try to harness the potential of A.I. technology, despite other fast-food chains like Wendy’s and White Castle successfully implementing A.I. ordering systems in their drive-throughs.
While McDonald’s confirmed its intention to eventually return to A.I. technology for ordering, the departure from the partnership with IBM signals a setback in the use of A.I. in the fast-food industry. The termination of the A.I. drive-through tests is seen as an indication that the technology may still be in a developmental phase, with other industry experts expressing doubts about McDonald’s quick return to testing A.I. in its drive-throughs. Currently, voice A.I. systems often require human oversight due to accuracy issues, making them less cost-effective compared to alternatives like the mobile app. Despite this setback, McDonald’s continues its A.I. investments with Google Cloud for business use cases, indicating a cautious approach to adopting A.I. technology.
As other fast-food chains explore the use of A.I. in drive-through ordering, McDonald’s is expected to observe from the sidelines and assess the readiness of the technology for commercial use. The company’s focus remains on ensuring the technology is effective before implementing it in their operations. While the technology is still in its early stages within the industry, promising success has been reported by Wendy’s and Presto, with high rates of automated orders being processed without human intervention. The success of these early attempts shows potential for widespread adoption of A.I. drive-through technology in the future.
One reason for McDonald’s struggle with A.I. technology could be attributed to utilizing the wrong type of A.I. model for their drive-through system. Voice A.I. systems like the one used with IBM are based on natural-language understanding, which may not be as flexible to accommodate the changing orders typically seen in drive-through situations. Alternatives like large-language models that power chatbots could potentially provide a better solution for processing drive-through orders accurately and efficiently. While early attempts at using A.I. in drive-throughs have shown promise, further refinement and adaptation of the technology may be necessary for widespread adoption and success in the industry.
Looking ahead, companies like SoundHound are venturing into new applications for voice A.I., such as incorporating the technology into vehicles for on-the-go ordering and navigation. By partnering with car companies, A.I. technology could revolutionize the way consumers interact with their vehicles, enabling them to place orders for food seamlessly while on the move. As the industry continues to experiment and refine A.I. drive-through technologies, the potential for enhanced customer experiences and operational efficiency remains a driving force behind the adoption of this innovative technology across various business sectors.
