McDonald’s will stop using artificial intelligence for drive-thru order-taking by the end of July and will explore “future voice ordering solutions by the end of the year,” according to multiple reports.
In a memo obtained by CNBC, McDonald’s U.S. chief restaurant officer Mason Smoot told franchisees, “After careful consideration, McDonald’s has decided to end our current AOT (Automated Order Taking) partnership with IBM and will shut down the technology in all restaurants currently testing it by July 26, 2024.”
The fast-food chain partnered with IBM in 2021 to pilot AI ordering technology in more than 100 McDonald’s restaurants, according to reports from CNBC and Fox Business.
“While we have seen success to date, we feel there is an opportunity to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly,” Smoot’s memo said, according to CNBC. “After careful consideration, McDonald’s has decided to terminate its current partnership with IBM for AOT. … IBM is a trusted partner, and we will continue to leverage many of their other products across our system.”
USA TODAY reached out to McDonald’s on Monday but has not yet heard back.
Why McDonald’s is trying to use AI to take drive-thru orders
According to a statement obtained by Fox Business, McDonald’s has begun testing AI drive-thru ordering to “determine whether an automated voice ordering solution can streamline tasks for associates and create a faster, improved experience.”
“Our collaboration with IBM gives us confidence that a drive-thru voice ordering solution will be part of our restaurants’ future,” the chain’s statement continues, according to Fox Business. “We see great opportunities in advancing restaurant technology and will continue to evaluate long-term, scalable solutions that will help us make an informed decision about our future voice ordering solution by the end of the year.”
IBM told Restaurant Business Magazine that it worked with McDonald’s to develop automated order-taking technology to support the company’s emerging use of voice-activated AI in its restaurant drive-thrus.
“The technology has the most comprehensive capabilities in the industry and has been proven to be fast and accurate in the most demanding conditions,” IBM said in a statement. “While McDonald’s reevaluates and refines its AOT plans, we look forward to continuing to work with the company on a variety of other projects.”
