McDonald’s Ends AI Drive-Through Ordering Program

McDonald’s is terminating its AI-driven drive-through ordering program after reports of high costs and low accuracy. Since 2021, McDonald’s has been testing an IBM-developed automated voice recognition system in over 100 U.S. locations. The company announced it will discontinue the service by July 26, 2024, citing issues such as difficulty understanding accents and underwhelming results according to franchisees. Despite this, McDonald’s remains optimistic about the future of AI in their operations and will continue exploring long-term solutions. Other fast food chains like Wendy’s and Dunkin are also experimenting with AI technology, although these systems have faced criticism for inaccuracies and reliance on human workers to assist the AI. McDonald’s will maintain other collaborations with IBM, expressing gratitude for their support.