Advances in artificial intelligence will allow kiosks and robots to replace most fast food jobs within five to 10 years, says an AI entrepreneur.
“This is definitely a watershed moment for AI,” Valyant AI founder Rob Carpenter told Fox News. “We’re going to see AI leap from back-office processing and manufacturing facilities to consumer-facing, front-office, jobs that have traditionally only been done by humans.”
Wendy’s announced that it is using Google AI technology at one of its stores in Ohio. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
AI CEO Says AI Drive-Thru ‘Holly’ Can Sell Better Than Humans
Watch more FOX News digital original content here
Many fast food restaurants, such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Chipotle, Popeye’s, Domino’s, and Wingstop, are already using AI. Wendy’s begins partnership with Google “Revolutionizing the Drive-Thru Experience with Artificial Intelligence” earlier this month. A pilot project will use Google Cloud’s artificial intelligence to talk to customers and take their orders.
“In five to 10 years, I think most of the jobs in restaurants can be automated, and that’s going to come from a variety of different technology providers,” Carpenter said.
Before the recent layoffs, McDonald’s employed more than 150,000 people worldwide in its company-operated restaurants and corporate roles. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Valyant AI powers a similar drive-thru AI called Holly, which Carpenter says can outsell human employees. Holly has taken over a million drive-thru orders and is now working with Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr.
AI is already automating food orders through self-service computer kiosks, streamlining the payment process through mobile devices, and allowing robots to prepare meals, Carpenter said.
“What we’re seeing is that humans, on average, upsell about 50 percent of the time,” Carpenter said. “Valyant upsells on average about 200%.”
Wendy’s adds Google Cloud AI tech to drive-thru orders as part of test
“They can add items to the order, they can edit items, they can delete items,” he continued. “Holly would take all of that.”
Advances in artificial intelligence could eliminate or reduce 300 million jobs, Goldman Sachs predicted in a March 26 report. According to the analysis, the technology could cause “significant disruption” to global labor markets.
Taco Bell has implemented AI technology in a few places. (Michael Robinson Chavez/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Carpenter said Holly and other AI applications will replace jobs that many fast food chains cannot fill.Nearly two-thirds of restaurant operators say they not enough workers According to the National Restaurant Association, to meet demand.
Click here for the Fox News app
“Order taking jobs are one of the least popular jobs in fast food restaurants,” Carpenter told Fox News. “It should just be a job that a robot can do, because it’s basic and it’s automated.”
“Whether it’s 8am or 2am, the AI still sounds snappy, and she never forgets those upsells,” he said.
To watch Carpenter’s full interview, click here.
Ramiro Vargas contributed to the accompanying video.
