In the future, when you place an order at a drive-thru, Artificial Intelligence technology may respond.
At the end of July, Yum! Brands announced the expansion of Voice AI technology across Taco Bell drive-thru locations in the U.S., targeting hundreds of stores by the end of 2024. According to a news release, the company aspires to implement Voice AI technology in drive-thrus at its brands globally in the future.
It is already in more than 100 Taco Bell U.S. drive-thrus across 13 states. The company says it is designed to enhance back-of-house operations for team members and elevate the order experience for consumers. “Benefits include easing task load for team members, improving order accuracy, providing a consistent, friendly experience, and reducing wait times, while driving profitable growth for Taco Bell, Yum! Brands and their franchisees.”
The robots are coming for restaurant jobs. CBC News reports: Restaurants have traditionally lagged behind other sectors in introducing industrial robots, though they could potentially replace 82% of jobs, according to one forecast by industry consultants Aaron Allen & Associates. Some experts suggest the workforce is on track to shrink permanently.
IBISWorld estimates there were 4.7 million people employed in the fast food restaurant industry in the U.S. as of 2023.
DATA USA reports the number of counter workers in these restaurants was 772,000 in 2022. The average age was 25.4 and the average salary was $15,142 for males or $13,885 for females.
The times, they are changing, ready or not. Time magazine recently reported that scientists are developing an algorithm to spot AI “hallucinations.” It turns out that if AI does not know something, it may make it up. It probably won’t confuse a taco order with an order of french fries, but AI tools like ChatGPT have told some users it was safe to eat rocks. Last June, two lawyers used ChatGPT to help write a court filing and were fined because the chatbot had added fake citations.
We need AI regulation for so many reasons. The effects of new technology are already being felt.
