Google and McDonald's team up to give you a side of AI with your burger

Even if you’re sick of hearing about it, AI — like ChatGPT — continues to seep its way into almost everything around us. It appears the next place you could end up seeing the technology is the next time you hit up your local McDonald’s.

McDonald’s and Google are entering into a multi-year global partnership that will allow the restaurant to use Google Cloud’s hardware, data, and AI technologies to enhance its business. The fast-food chain says it believes leveraging Google’s technology will allow it fast track innovation and provide better experiences for customers and employees.

Starting in 2024, hardware and software — including the company’s self-serving kiosks and mobile app — in “thousands” of stores will be upgraded. It appears the goal is to analyze massive amounts of data with Google’s AI to further improve its service.

McDonald’s doesn’t get into the nitty-gritty of how it will use AI, but says that its restaurants will be able to use “cloud-based software applications and their own software and AI solutions locally on-site, as needed.” It also says Google’s AI will help McDonald’s draw “new insights into how equipment is performing, enact solutions that reduce business disruptions, and diminish complexity for crew.”

While it may sound strange, McDonald’s isn’t the only fast-food restaurant to partner with Google for its AI this year. Back in May, it was revealed that Wendy’s also approached Google, wanting to use its large language model to transform its drive-through experience.