AI in Fast Food: McDonald's and Wendy's Roll Out Voice Assistants
In 2021, McDonald's became the first major chain to launch a voice AI assistant at the drive-thru to take orders. The technology builds on the work of Apprente, a startup the company acquired in 2019. Competitors are following suit: Wendy's is testing its own solution. Experts see this as the start of a broad wave of AI adoption in the fast-food industry.
AI-processed from The Verge; edited by Hamidun News
AI in fast food: McDonald's and Wendy's are rolling out voice assistants at drive-thrus across America.
How did McDonald's bring AI to its restaurants?
McDonald's bought the startup Apprente in 2019, a company specializing in voice interfaces and speech recognition. In 2021, the voice assistant launched at 10 locations in Chicago.
What AI assistant does McDonald's use at the drive-thru?
McDonald's uses a voice AI assistant built on the acquisition of the startup Apprente in 2019. The startup specialized in voice interfaces and conversational speech recognition.
When did McDonald's start using AI in its restaurants?
In 2021, McDonald's became one of the first major chains to deploy a voice AI assistant at the drive-thru. Initially, the technology appeared only at 10 locations in Chicago.
Key Questions Answered
How did McDonald's bring AI to its restaurants?
McDonald's bought the startup Apprente in 2019, a company specializing in voice interfaces and speech recognition. In 2021, the voice assistant launched at 10 locations in Chicago.
What AI assistant does McDonald's use at the drive-thru?
McDonald's uses a voice AI assistant built on the acquisition of the startup Apprente in 2019. The startup specialized in voice interfaces and conversational speech recognition.
When did McDonald's start using AI in its restaurants?
In 2021, McDonald's became one of the first major chains to deploy a voice AI assistant at the drive-thru. Initially, the technology appeared only at 10 locations in Chicago.
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