According to a report, McDonald’s has informed franchisees that it will discontinue an artificial intelligence drive-thru order-taking operation.
McDonald’s USA Chief Restaurant Officer Mason Smoot stated in a message obtained by Restaurant Business magazine that “after a thoughtful review, McDonald’s has decided to end our current partnership with IBM on AOT [automated order taking], and the technology will be shut off in all restaurants currently testing it no later than July 26, 2024.”
According to the magazine, more than 100 McDonald’s outlets have been testing the technology since 2021.
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“While there have been successes to date, we feel there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly,” Smoot allegedly continued, saying that the company will make “an informed decision on a future voice ordering solution by the end of the year.”
McDonald’s said in a statement to FOX Business on Monday that the purpose of the test was to see if an automated voice ordering system might streamline operations for staff and deliver a faster, better experience for our fans.
“Through our partnership with IBM, we have captured many learnings and feel there is an opportunity to explore voice-ordering solutions more broadly,” according to the business. “After careful consideration, McDonald’s has decided to conclude our present global cooperation with IBM on AOT after this year. IBM remains a trustworthy partner, and we will continue to use many of their products across our global system.
“As we move forward, our work with IBM has given us the confidence that a voice ordering solution for drive-thru will be part of our restaurants’ future,” the fast food chain said. “We see tremendous 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.”
IBM informed Restaurant Business that it “developed automated order taker technologies with McDonald’s to support the emerging use of voice-activated AI in restaurant drive-thrus.”
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