There is a great deal of speculation about which jobs artificial intelligence (AI) software may eliminate. The World Economic Forum says AI will “displace” 85 million jobs worldwide but create 97 million new ones. Retail and cashier jobs are among those at risk.
McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD | MCD Price Prediction) has already added kiosks that let people order food without speaking to a human. Many retailers, including Home Depot, let people check out without dealing with a cashier.
McDonald’s is taking the trend one step further. According to The Wall Street Journal, “McDonald’s is giving its 43,000 restaurants a technology makeover, starting with internet-connected kitchen equipment, artificial intelligence-enabled drive-throughs and AI-powered tools for managers.”
Among the applications is one that makes sure orders are correct. The only chance they are not now is because humans can make mistakes, although McDonald’s does not spell that out, Additionally, the technology makes serving regular customers to cement their loyalty.
The unspoken target of these plans may be McDonald’s 1.9 million workers worldwide. Most of these are employed at stores owned by people or companies that are part of McDonald’s franchise system. One aspect of store profit is what is known as operational efficiency. Humans replaced by AI-driven applications may end up being a large part of that.
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