The robots are coming for our jobs. AI gets more competent every day, and soon it will run pretty much everything. One day, but not yet.
As businesses are testing out fully automated systems around the world, there are of course some growing pains. There are bugs to be worked out, and in the meantime we will have endless frustrating experiences with artificial almost intelligence.
Sure, a 17 year old working the drive-thru who doesn’t care about anything might mess your order up, but then you can at least speak to that human and work it out. AI just chugs along and pushes you through. Next customer.
Tiktok user Ren (@resinsbiren) recently posted a video about exactly this. She tried ordering from a McDonald’s AI drive-thru, but the AI heard another nearby customer ordering and add their items too. She ended up with 9 sweet teas added to her order.
If you haven’t used the AI drive-thru before, this is how it works — You pull up, speak you order, then (for now) you can speak to someone at the next window and edit your order as needed.
Lately, Tiktok has been choked with videos of people posting their fails at these drive-thru kiosks. I’m sure they will be the norm at some point, but the learning curve has been pretty steep.
Here’s the original Tiktok from Ren
@resinsbiren #greenscreen @mcdonalds #nine #sweettea #mcdonalds #robots #friday #caffeine
The comments all seem to agree with Ren, and also why it seems most people now order on mobile anyway.
What’s your move with these drive-thru AI places? If mobile order is an option, is that the way to go? It’s weird to think that eventually there won’t be anyone working at any of these places. Just robots farting soda and burgers into bags. Where do those employees go? Maybe I should just start learning to be a robot now so I can find work next year.