McDonald’s is trying AI to find a way out of its labor shortage, an issue that has plagued many food companies during the pandemic. Unfortunately, system tests are returning an accuracy rate as low as 80%, when the expected rate was 95%. Moreover, accuracy may not be the only problem McDonald's AI systems are facing.

Some customers aren’t big fans of the drive-thru AI voice. One writer at ZDNet compared it to “the same robot voice you've heard in every disturbing sci-fi movie.” McDonald's was also sued by a customer in Illinois named Shannon Carpenter, who believes the chain should have gotten consent before obtaining his voiceprint via the drive-thru.

Moreover, the McDonald's company has asked their own franchisees to pay monthly charges in order to cover the cost of automating the drive-thrus. The fast food giant calls these "technology fees," and they've caused disputes between the franchisees and McDonald's corporate — but the company has no plans to stop developing the AI system.