Taco Bell's AI Drive-Thru Plan Gets Caught Up On Trolls and Glitches

Taco Bell's rollout of AI-powered drive-thru assistants has run into problems, with glitches and trolls gaming the system by making absurd orders like thousands of water cups. It's so bad that the company is reconsidering where and how to deploy the tech, admitting it may not work well in 'super busy' restaurants. 'We're learning a lot, I'm going to be honest with you,' Dane Mathews, Taco Bell's chief digital and technology officer, told the WSJ. 'I think like everybody, sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me.' The Verge reports: Since announcing plans to put AI in the drive-thru last year, Taco Bell has deployed the tech in over 500 locations across the US, according to the WSJ. Other fast-food chains are experimenting with AI, too, including McDonald's, Wendy's, and White Castle. Mathews tells the outlet that while the company still plans on pushing ahead with AI voice technology and evaluating the data, he's discovered that using AI exclusively in certain situations, like a drive-thru for 'super busy restaurants with long lines,' might not be such a great idea after all.

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