McDonald's Rolls Out AI Upgrades at 43,000 Locations to Enhance Speed and Accuracy

The fast food chain is implementing AI-powered tools to improve customer experience, streamline operations, and reduce employee stress.

McDonald's is equipping all 43,000 of its locations with AI-driven technologies, including internet-connected kitchen equipment and AI-enabled drive-through systems.
The upgrades include edge computing to process data on-site, ensuring faster analysis and real-time operational insights for franchisees.
The company plans to introduce a 'generative AI virtual manager' to handle administrative tasks like shift scheduling, potentially reducing the workload for human managers.
Facial recognition and computer vision technology will be used to verify order accuracy before handing them to customers, aiming to address past issues with incorrect orders.
McDonald's hopes these innovations will grow its customer base from 175 million to 250 million by 2027, despite concerns about AI's impact on job displacement.