While many people are concerned that artificial intelligence (AI) could eventually replace humans in various vocations, there is one apparently simple duty where the technology currently falls short – accepting McDonald’s drive-thru orders.
According to ZDNet, multiple users have written on TikTok about how the AI-powered robot at McDonald’s locations in Chicago got their orders entirely incorrect.
Ren Adams was among them, having attempted to order hash browns, sweet tea, and a Coke for breakfast.
The robot, on the other hand, overheard another customer’s purchase in the second drive-through lane and added some of their desired goods to her order.
When Adams attempted to change the order, the robot substituted nine sweet teas for the other customer’s Diet Coke instead of one.
While it’s conceivable that Adams’ pronunciation confounded the AI, numerous other customers had similar experiences.
Caitlyn Sykora had more over $300 (R5,446) worth of McNuggets meals accidentally added to her order. Attempting to stop the robot from adding extra meals to the order did not work.
A third user of the system – Madilynn Cameron — sought to get a water and vanilla ice cream.
Despite Cameron’s continuous attempts to rectify it, the algorithm identified the ice cream as a caramel sundae and kept adding ketchup and butter at random.
In answer to a query regarding lowering labour expenses through the use of additional robots, McDonald’s stated that a robot-only restaurant was merely a CFO’s fantasy last year.
“The idea of robots and all those things, while it maybe is great for garnering headlines, it’s not practical in the vast majority of restaurants,” said McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski during an earnings call.
McDonald’s self-service kiosks in South Africa provide the maximum level of automation, allowing consumers to make orders and pay without speaking to a waiter or cashier.
Instead than replacing its till workers, the method allows more people to assist with meal preparation and delivery, improving the whole ordering process.
Here is one real-world example of what many automation supporters argue: that technology such as AI and machine learning will complement rather than replace human occupations by reducing the more monotonous and repetitive aspects of a profession.
