McDonalds removes AI drive-throughs after order errors ( www.bbc.com )

McDonald's is removing artificial intelligence (AI) powered ordering technology from its drive-through restaurants in the US, after customers shared its comical mishaps online.

A trial of the system, which was developed by IBM and uses voice recognition software to process orders, was announced in 2019.

It has not proved entirely reliable, however, resulting in viral videos of bizarre misinterpreted orders ranging from bacon-topped ice cream to hundreds of dollars' worth of chicken nuggets.

JJROKCZ ,

Are they also going to remove the human order takers due to number of errors or…. Because they never get shit right, then I correct them, then the kitchen kids get it wrong, occasionally i go back around to ask for it as I ordered, and sometimes the second time around it’s correct

SlopppyEngineer ,

It's like those self service kiosks they have. The first version was broken most of the time, but they got the bugs worked out and after that those kiosks were everywhere.

JackbyDev ,

I don't know which versions I've used but I've never had a problem with them. The only thing that was confusing is it seemed like it was forcing me to upgrade to a medium combo but they do this in the drive thru too. It may be that they don't have small combos. I wish fast food services would standardize on size terminology. Where's ISO and ANSI when I need them for actually useful things.

someacnt_ ,

Bubble burst?

werefreeatlast ,

I got my fried shoes but no ketchup!

qevlarr ,
@qevlarr@lemmy.world avatar

Here's what you do: You have the AI take the order, but the human checks each item. They'll have enough time to work out the kinks

BananaTrifleViolin ,

That is then not a technology ready for mass use. That would be McDonalds paying IBM to let it beta test (or alpha test it seems) its software for them.

And the only way to check the order would be to listen to each order and confirm the order is correct - so totally duplicating the AI's job. It then becomes "what's the point" for McDonalds?

AI tools at present are broken and not fit for purpose.

qevlarr ,
@qevlarr@lemmy.world avatar

AI is a crapshoot, agree. But there has to be more testing before PR disasters like this happen. That isn't "being my suppliers beta test", rather sensible project managers not mindlessly putting it out there because the supplier said it worked. Now people are laughing at McDonald's on top of their cost saving operations being delayed. But I agree overall that AI sucks to replace humans. I'm just criticizing McDonald's jumping the gun

Passerby6497 ,

And the only way to check the order would be to listen to each order and confirm the order is correct - so totally duplicating the AI's job.

Lol, they do this already with humans, and have done so for more than a decade. Back when I worked in the MCD kitchen, wed always have someone with the drive thru headset on to hear what's coming and to make sure the back drive drone wasn't a complete moron (like the kid [hired before me] who in all seriousness asked me if there was bacon on a BLT, then completely missed the sarcasm in a drawn out "Noooooooo" and proceeded to tell the customer 🙄)

LordKitsuna ,

It's because everyone is trying to use generic models for every task which is obviously terrible. If you create a custom, naroscope model, you can do some surprising things. But that takes knowledgeable employees, time, and money, none of which companies want to do. Train ann llm exclusively on recordings of drive-thru interactions and it would probably end up being quite good at it.

I mean it wouldn't hurt to also use some microphones that don't sound worse than Dollar Store Windows 98 white beige desktop microphone but that's a different conversation

conciselyverbose ,

You don't need or benefit from an LLM.

You just need voice recognition that works properly.

Fixbeat ,

I use the app to order then they bring it out to my car. No need to deal with people, fake or not.

CosmoNova ,

Who needs Ronald McDonald when you have managers like them?

Lost_My_Mind ,

The McDonalds managers are nothing like Ronald McDonald. Ronald brings people smiles. Mcdonalds managers bring people sadness.

CosmoNova ,

Both are clowns and bring people nightmares.

Imgonnatrythis ,

Pretty sure they all brought people diabetes and cancer

dual_sport_dork ,
@dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world avatar

Apparently they don't need him because Ronald was fired... Er, "retired," in 2016.

The final vestige of the clown that I know of was his silhouette being used in the "throw this into a trash can and not on the damn ground" message on the bottom of their paper bags, but even that seems to be gone now.

CosmoNova ,

That‘s what I was getting at actually. They rebranded when clown attacks went viral on the internet. The new image of the company and their now (in)famous jingle „I‘m lovin‘ it!“ was supposed to only launch in Germany for McCafés but promptly went global when they really needed a rebrand quick.

CarbonIceDragon ,
@CarbonIceDragon@pawb.social avatar

Would this even be necessary for automated ordering anyway? Given that every company under the sun wants you to use some app of theirs these days, including fast food companies, Im kinda surprised they dont just get rid of the speaker/microphone system, and just put a sign with a qr code in front of the drive through telling you to download and use their app to put in a drive through order

Squibbles ,

Here in Canada at least they have both at the moment. You can use the drive thru as usual or order through the app and give them a code at the drive thru or just park in a numbered spot and have them bring it out to you without ever talking to someone

JackbyDev ,

I saw a video of someone just trying to pick up in the drive thru after ordering through the app. The location did not have the numbered spots to use. The AI thing wouldn't let them continue lol. It's like McDonald's doesn't even fully understand their own systems in place.

dual_sport_dork ,
@dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world avatar

Provided they're fine with cutting off 100% of their business coming from customers older than 50, that'd probably work great. I don't think they're quite there yet.

aeronmelon ,

slaps own cheek

NAW!!

BanjoShepard ,

I used this system more than I care to admit and never had significant problems with it. My biggest issue was when trying to modify an existing item on the ticket.

AllYourSmurf , (edited )

and a large orange drink

the_doktor ,

"McDonalds removes AI drive-throughs after they realized AI is fucking stupid and shouldn't be used by anyone"

There, fixed. Now can we fucking kill AI and make it illegal to use already? Fuck this shit.

thorbot ,

Show us on this doll where the AI touched you

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