McDonald’s AI Fail: Fast-Food Giant Ends Automated Order System in the US Due to Errors

Despite the remarkable advancements in artificial intelligence over the past years, some systems still make significant errors. One such company that experienced this firsthand is McDonald’s. The renowned American fast-food chain partnered with IBM to develop an AI called Automated Order Taking, which was introduced in select drive-through restaurants across the United States.

The Failure of McDonald’s AI

As the name suggests, this AI was designed to take orders from customers in their cars without the need for human intervention. Initial tests began in 2021 in a small number of McDonald’s 13,000 locations across America, but the experiment did not go as planned.

At first, the Automated Order Taking system seemed to function without issues, but it soon began offering customers unusual food combinations and extra portions they hadn’t ordered. There were instances of bacon being added to ice cream (a flavor combination hard to imagine) and hundreds of unwanted chicken nuggets being delivered. Some customers, on the other hand, never received their orders at all.

@resinsbiren #greenscreen @mcdonalds #nine #sweettea #mcdonalds #robots #friday #caffeine ♬ original sound – Ren Adams

These errors forced McDonald’s to announce the end of its collaboration with IBM, with Mason Smoot, Chief Restaurant Officer of McDonald’s USA, stating that the AI would be deactivated in all restaurants using it by July 26.

McDonald’s likely aimed to stay ahead of its competitors, who have introduced similar but more functional AI systems. For instance, Wendy’s employs a Google Cloud-based system that successfully processes 86% of customer orders, while Carl’s Jr. and Taco John’s use a system called Presto, which accurately completes 90% of orders.

What Went Wrong with McDonald’s AI?

So, what went wrong with McDonald’s AI compared to the others? There could be two distinct reasons: CNBC suggests that the issues were caused by the AI’s difficulty in understanding various accents and dialects, while Wired argues that although these new technologies will eventually become part of restaurant automation, they are still in their infancy and have many limitations.

mcdonalds ai drive thru orders

What’s next?

The experience of McDonald’s with AI highlights the challenges and potential pitfalls of implementing new technologies in customer-facing roles. As AI continues to evolve, it is crucial for companies to thoroughly test and refine these systems to avoid similar setbacks. For now, McDonald’s has decided to step back from AI, focusing instead on more reliable methods to enhance customer service.

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