>>McDonalds paid nearly half a billion for software that can understand your order in a drive-through in almost any language or accent.
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>>It’s not that it helps the bottom line as much as it makes operations run a lot more smoothly. Machines work 24 hours a day, they don’t call in sick, show up late, require benefits, talk back, gossip or cause workplace conflict.
Just a few years ago the drive thrus in America were using telecenters in India to take drivers’ orders. The person taking your order was not onsite at the restaurant. Easy to put someone else in the rotation if some high schooler decided not to go to work that day.
But those lower end jobs were learning experiences for young adults. Learn to show up every day. Learn to put in your 8 hours. Learn how much the government takes out of your paycheck before you ever receive it.
I didn’t know they used telecenters, interesting. But this new software should be better, can order in scores of languages and accents according to what I read, the software auto-detects the language. Of course I agree about the entry level jobs but you can’t stop progress or technology. I’m stopping here before I go into a rant about education.