Posted on 11/10/2021 12:01:21 PM PST by be-baw
You know the way the world is going because you're happy it's happening.
Out with the old ways of doing things -- going to work at an office, for example -- and in with doing your own thing. All the time, anywhere.
I sense McDonald's understands this.
It seems to have realized that people coming to work at its restaurants, greeting you as they take your order at the drive-thru and then quickly cooking your food is an outmoded concept.
Instead, how about machines doing it all faster than humans ever could?
Well, here's a little announcement the global burger chain made last week. McDonald's is now getting together with a very, very famous name in tech in order to make the drive-thru more robotic and therefore more crowd-pleasing.
You may remember that McDonald's was testing robot order-taking at its drive-thru in Chicago earlier this year.
A customer experience video showed how glorious it is to be greeted by one of Siri's many cousins. You could tell she was really, um, loving it.
This was just an experiment, right? They couldn't possibly be serious. Could they?
Well, now McDonald's seems ready to expand this test to further-flung parts of our great nation. Ray, the old ways are just a load of Kroc these days.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention the very famous tech name with which McDonald's will now partner.
It's IBM.
Yes, the IBM at which a Steve Jobs emissary once threw a large hammer in a famous ad. The IBM that used to be called Big Blue and now seems to be Big Intimidator of Little Companies.
Well, McDonald's has just sold IBM its McD Tech Labs -- the engineers that are formerly known as Apprente -- so that IBM can take on the robot-driven drive-thru dream.
As CNBC reported, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski is delighted with how the robot-ordering drive-thru tests have gone. They apparently benefited customers and the remaining staff who still come to work at McDonald's.
Kempczinski offered: "In my mind, IBM is the ideal partner for McDonald's, given their expertise in building AI-powered customer care solutions and voice recognition." He added that the work now required is "beyond the scale of our core competencies."
Did you ever think your burger would come courtesy of IBM's Watson and friends? Of course you did. You've dreamed about this moment. The robots will never get it wrong. The robots will always be quicker. And the robots will enhance your emotional relationship with the brand.
That's what AI does. It strives for perfection so that you can offer it uncontrolled love.
Who needs a personal relationship when you can get your Big Mac thirty seconds faster?
Ultimately, of course McDonald's is making a wise business decision. If speed is what's required, the robots will surely provide it. Even if many of them still don't always grasp such nuances as an accent. (Don't worry, IBM is working on that.)
And it isn't just about speed. Just think of how much more personal data may be collected as the AI begins to learn who you are and what you really, really like.
But please don't worry about that. The companies insist: "IBM and McDonald's are both committed to adopting AI responsibly by embedding ethical principles into AI applications and processes to build systems based on trust and transparency."
Having seen the AI ordering in action, I'm still not sure how tolerant I'll be of its essential inhumanity.
But perhaps the people I feel most sorry for are the employees of McD Tech Labs. Now they'll be working for the IBM Cloud & Cognitive Software division.
It doesn't sound quite as cool, does it?
Interesting. All the Mickey-D’s around me are begging for workers.
Apparently, that is a major problem out here on the west coast.
Also, in a few years many if not many most so called High School grads will not be able to do basic math nor read instructions. (1)
That will disable any ability to do even basic work like take an order, fry a hamburger, and make correct change.
no they stopped having to do that years ago.
they just push the picture and give back the total on the screen
McD has been using robots for years now in thier order section in the store. nothing new here.
I’m now obliging Domino’s.
Ain’t that the truth.
Over thirty years ago I worked for a week at a local McDonald’s. The conditions and the way the food was handled was so disgusting that I quit. I told my dad, “Not only don’t I want to work there, now I don’t ever want to eat there!”
I’ve never gotten a burnt one. Just cold, flaccid, un-crispy ones, because people don’t order them as often as they order burgers, and the fish sammy appears to be an afterthought to McDonald’s.
They used to be better - (and they need to bring back lard for the fries, too.)
Are the robots going to fix the ice cream machines?
Next thing will be all those electric cars in the future will have a microwave and you can fill up the fridge at a McDonald’s charging and fast food kiosk.
Will the new AI be programmed to understand eubonics?
Fun times. I would talk so that machine would never understand my order. Cars behind me would get pissed. Horns would honk. It would be GLORIOUS bwa-ha-ha.
And overpriced.
The only they've got going are the fries.
...or still cold and burnt.
... or still cold and burnt, yet somehow under-cooked.
Lolz
And shazam! Just like that the over-payed fast food worker is eliminated!
Golly...we tried to warn them! Living wage is code for job elimination and those who won’t improve their skills.
“Electric cars in the future will have a microwave”
That’s an excellent thought. I wonder how long it will take for that to happen.
After avoiding McDonalds for decades I recently bought a sausage mcmuffin with Cheese, it was gross. The muffin was soggy and it tasted like maple syrup.
I’m with you. Love those older southern black ladies too. They just know how to be.
My brother said years ago, that he would be happy when everything was accessible without one ever having to go outside of the house.
I guess he’s gotten that over the past couple of years; but it made me sad. I love going out to the grocery, the fast-food place, etc., and interacting with other people.
No problem here. We’ve learned to use the app with deals like BOGO double-cheeseburger and free Crispy Chicken with $1 purchase (cheeseburger). We order as we approach, walk around a bit, walk-in, and our “food” is waiting.
I do like seeing people; but I’ve also very much appreciated online stuff.
I honestly think I’ve only had to return one thing to Amazon that wasn’t satisfactory (clothes for my husband that didn’t fit); and I’ve been using them and spending many thousands there, for almost 15 years.
I’ve gotten a couple of things that were defective, but Amazon just compensated me without requiring a return. I’ve only paid for one cheap thing (from China, of course) that was incorrect and not worth the trouble to send back.
I know a lot of people don’t like Amazon, but in my situation they’ve been very useful. I also appreciate the opportunity to support the many small American businesses that sell there. (I’m a fan of Etsy, and sometimes Ebay, too.)
That sounds like a mcgriddle with the Maple syrup.
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