Burger and fr-AI-s? McDonald’s reveals plans to use AI to produce ‘hotter, fresher food’ for customers

Would you eat a burger cooked by a robot?

It may not sound tempting, but McDonald's claims implementing AI in the kitchen will lead to “hotter, fresher food.”

The fast food giant has partnered with Google to bring cloud computing and artificial intelligence solutions to the kitchen.

Although there won't be robots operating grills yet, thousands of restaurants will soon be powered by high-powered computing.

Brian Rice, McDonald's executive vice president, says the upgrade means that “the tools become sharper, the models become smarter, the restaurants become easier to operate, and most importantly, the overall experience for our customers and our crews becomes better.”

McDonald's is not addressing how these changes will impact its human employees. However, he says, “This will help accelerate automation innovations from equipment manufacturers” (stock image)

In a statement issued yesterday, McDonald's announced that it plans to leverage Google's cloud computing hardware, data, and artificial intelligence technologies.

It's not entirely clear how this will be implemented at the restaurant level, but McDonald's says it will focus on saving time for its employees.

The new AI tools will “draw new insights into how equipment performs, develop solutions that minimize business disruption, and reduce complexity for crew and restaurant teams,” the announcement states.

McDonald's is not addressing how these changes will impact its human employees.

However, he says, “This will help accelerate automation innovations from equipment manufacturers.”

The company also says this will lead to “more informed testing and automated solutions.”

Google's artificial intelligence will be used to improve automation and save time for employees, however, the company has not commented on whether this will translate into staff reductions (stock image)

McDonald's also hinted that it will use Google technology to make better use of customer data.

The company announced that it will roll out a new “global program” to all digital platforms for McDonald's customers and its restaurants.

This will include everything from McDonald's mobile loyalty app to self-ordering kiosks in stores.

This custom software is expected to collect more data and make it easier for the company to “accelerate customized AI solutions.”

“The volume of information coming in from around the world will allow McDonald's GenAI models to better understand the broadest range of patterns and nuances,” McDonald's said.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, added: “Through this wide-ranging partnership, Google Cloud will help McDonald's seize new opportunities to transform its business and customer experiences, empowering restaurants around the world with the latest technologies to make a near-term impact.”

“Pairing the iconic brand, size and scale of McDonald's with Google Cloud's deep history in artificial intelligence and technology innovation will redefine how this industry works and what people expect when dining out.”

McDonald's is not the first fast food company to experiment with AI innovation.

Wendy's, a popular American company, has announced plans to use AI-powered chatbots to take customer orders.

The chain has also partnered with logistics supercompany Pipedream to trial an autonomous underground robot system.

Customers can place an order using the robot and have the food delivered to their car within seconds.

Many other companies are also exploring how to implement more automation in kitchens to speed up ordering times and reduce staffing costs.

White Castle, another American chain, recently announced plans to install the Flippy burger cooking robot in its kitchens.

The robotic chefs will be installed in 100 stores across the United States to produce burgers, chips and other menu items.

Half of current jobs will be lost to AI within 15 years

Kai-Fu Lee, author of Artificial Intelligence Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, told Dailymail.com that the world of employment is facing a crisis “similar to that faced by farmers during the Industrial Revolution.”

One of China's top AI experts has warned that half of current jobs will be taken over by AI within 15 years.

Kai-Fu Lee, author of the best-selling book Artificial Intelligence Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order, told the Daily Mail that the world of employment is facing a crisis “similar to that faced by farmers during the Industrial Revolution”.

“People are not fully aware of the impact that AI will have on their jobs,” he said.

Li, a venture capitalist in China who headed Google in the region, has more than 30 years of experience in artificial intelligence.

He believes it is necessary to “warn people that displacement is coming, and tell them how they can start retraining.”

Fortunately, he said, all is not lost for humanity.

“AI is powerful and adaptable, but it cannot do everything humans do.”

Lee believes that AI cannot create, visualize, or do complex strategic planning, or perform complex work that requires precise hand-eye coordination.

He also says he is weak at dealing with unknown and unorganized spaces.

Most importantly, he says AI cannot interact with humans “just like humans,” through empathy, human-to-human communication, and compassion.