McDonald’s is said to be testing and introducing a drive-through automation system using voice recognition AI and plier robots at stores near Chicago, USA.
Voice recognition software is piloted in a drive-through system at a McDonald’s store near Chicago, and a robot-controlled flyer fries chicken and fish inside the store. McDonald’s expects these technologies to lead to shorter customer wait times.
McDonald’s cannot escape competition with small hamburger chains in the United States. Moreover, as the number of fast food stores in the United States is on the decline, McDonald’s is trying to increase profits by speeding up the provision of services including drive-through.
There are criticisms of McDonald’s efforts to promote automation, but McDonald’s argues that the automation of the new technology is helping employees and not threatening jobs. Drive-through systems and flyer robots using voice recognition AI will soon be tested at other stores.
In the United States, the movement to raise the minimum wage is intensifying. McDonald’s employees are also active in appealing for wage increases. According to a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association in April, more than a third of restaurant operators are having difficulty securing staff. If drive-through automation is realized, it may be possible to support both shortages and wage increases.
In fact, the voice recognition AI, which was introduced in stores near Chicago, can process orders without knowing that it is AI. In fact, customers who bought DriveThru say they didn’t know it was working perfectly.
Robot automation works well in areas where fast menu provision is important, such as fast food. In addition to speeding up service, automating part of the task can also be expected to reduce employee injuries by leaving the robot to do dangerous things like fried food. If an employee is injured, it can be a big problem for a store. Related information can be found here .