They're teaming up to create an AI chatbot that will revolutionize the way we order at their drive-thrus. But here's the real kicker: Wendy's is planning to unveil their first-ever "Wendy's FreshAI" drive-thru in Columbus, Ohio, come June.
It's a game-changer, folks! The future of fast food is right around the corner, and it looks delicious!
The Verge reported that the chatbot will be able to take verbal orders from customers who line up at Wendy’s drive-thru kiosks, all with the hope that it will help reduce long wait times. Wendy’s worked with Google to build a tailored chatbot on top of the company’s existing large language model (LLM), which it’s bound to reveal updates about at its Google I/O event on Wednesday. This all goes along with Google’s push into AI, as its Cloud unit sells the idea of companies commissioning their own models for different purposes, built on their own data.
Part of Google’s work with Wendy’s means ensuring the AI is brushed up on some of Wendy’s lingo, such as knowing that a “milkshake” translates to a “Frosty” and that a “JBC” is short for a “junior bacon cheeseburger.” As soon as a chatbot takes a customer’s order, it will appear on a screen for line cooks. A worker will then hand the completed meals to customers at the pickup window, just like any other order.
In a statement to the WSJ, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian acknowledged some of the challenges associated with using an AI chatbot at the drive-thru. The bot will have to ignore any noises it hears from kids in the backseat of a vehicle, for example, and will also have to deal with customers who change their minds in the middle of an order. “You may think driving by and speaking into a drive-through is an easy problem for AI, but it’s actually one of the hardest,” Kurian tells the WSJ.
A Wendy’s employee will monitor the AI-powered drive-thru when it starts testing it in June, likely to ensure customers don’t have a meltdown. Customers will also have the option to speak with a human if the AI can’t get their order right. While the AI chatbot should be able to do everything a human can, including upselling Wendy’s products, Wendy’s tells the WSJ that it doesn’t plan to replace existing workers with the technology.
Now, this is definitely an intriguing technological innovation, but I can't help but raise a couple of immediate concerns...
First off, will this new AI chatbot end up taking away jobs from real people? That's a valid worry, especially in a time when unemployment rates are already a concern. Plus, what happens when a customer of the "Karen" variety shows up? You know, the type that gets really angry and demands to speak with a human manager. How is the AI going to handle that kind of situation? It may sound trivial, but trust me, dealing with a screaming human through a microphone is no easy feat.
Don't get me wrong, AI has the potential to be a game-changer in so many aspects of our lives. But let's not overlook its shortcomings. It's not a flawless solution by any means.
