Taco Bell hopes to implement AI for drive-thru ordering. Find out when it could be in stores
Next time you order a Crunchwrap and a Baja-Blast in the drive-thru, an AI might be taking your order.
Yum! Brands Inc. announced Wednesday they will expand their use of Voice AI technology across Taco Bell drive-thru locations in the U.S.
According to the press release , the company aspires to implement Voice AI technology in drive-thrus at its brands globally in the future.
How will Taco Bell use Voice AI technology?
Voice AI technology is supposed to help streamline the drive-thru process, making it more efficient for both the customers and the employees working in these stores by creating a user-friendly, "seamless ordering experience."
"We're expanding and accelerating our AI capabilities like Voice AI to deliver leading-edge technologies to our franchisees and to enhance the consumer and team member experience," Lawrence Kim, Chief Innovation Officer, Yum! Brands, said in the release.
The company has been testing the technology for just over two years.
"With over two years of fine tuning and testing the drive-thru Voice AI technology, we're confident in its effectiveness in optimizing operations and enhancing customer satisfaction," Kim said.
When will Taco Bell start using Voice AI?
At the time of the press release, Voice AI technology has already been rolled out at more than 100 Taco Bell U.S. drive-thrus across 13 states.
The company's goal is to have it in hundreds of stores by the end of 2024, the press release said.
"Innovation is ingrained in our DNA at Taco Bell, and we view Voice AI as a means to improve the team member and consumer experiences," said Dane Mathews, Taco Bell's chief digital and technology officer.
What other stores may use Voice AI in the future?
Yum! Brands Inc. expressed an interest in implementing this technology at its brands globally. Besides Taco Bell, the company owns KFC, Pizza Hut and The Habit Burger Grill.
Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman .
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Taco Bell drive-thru AI could be coming to a store near you
