Taco Bell to use AI at more drive-thrus: What does that mean?

(NEXSTAR) – Taco Bell announced Wednesday it would be expanding its use of AI to hundreds of drive-thru locations by the end of the year.

Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum! Brands, said the move aims to make things easier for their staff and “elevate the order experience for consumers.” But what will it mean for you if you pull up to one of these updated drive-thrus?

The biggest change will be telling your order to the AI – not a person. The voice reader technology has been trained to understand different types of voices, accents and pronunciations – even incorrect ones. The AI should be able to understand you even if you pronounce quesadilla like “kay-suh-DILL-uh,” Yum!’s chief innovation officer Lawrence Kim told CNN .

It’s also supposed to get better at doing its “job” as it goes along. “The Voice AI technology uses a holistic approach that leverages feedback, data, and insights to enhance consumer relationships with an emphasis on intuitive, user-friendly technology to create a seamless ordering experience,” the company explained in a press release.

If there is any confusion, a human employee is able to step in, Kim said.

The company predicts the technology will help drive-thru lines move faster, so you may not have to wait as long in the future.

The technology is already at work in more than 100 Taco Bell locations in 13 U.S. states. The company hopes to eventually roll out the technology globally, Yum! said in a press release.

But the switch to AI ordering hasn’t been a success in all fast food chains. McDonald’s ditched AI ordering after testing it at 100 drive-thru locations, CNN reported, after customers complained their orders were wrong.

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