Click here to read the Spanish version.
In techno-expressive times, technology itself can lead to controversial or uncontrollable situations. As confirmed by Restaurant Business, McDonald’s launched two years ago – in collaboration with IBM – a test with artificial intelligence in drive-thrus that will soon come to an end.
Apparently, the 100 drive-thrus that the chain had implemented with AI in its shops have collapsed, leading customers to record videos that have gone viral on the internet. In them, it can be seen how the AI misinterprets the order by adding ‘unwanted’ items or making many errors. In one of the videos, a woman says the self-service screen added nine sweet teas to her order when all she had asked for was to remove a Diet Coke that had been added by mistake.
The maelstrom of chaos prompted McDonald’s to release a statement to its franchisees in an email saying that, as of 26 July, its drive-thrus will once again be AI-free. After a thoughtful 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 by 26 July 2024.
