Taco Bell rethinks AI drive-through after man orders 18,000 waters

Taco Bell is rethinking its use of AI in drive-throughs after viral videos show mishaps like a man ordering 18,000 waters. The fast-food chain deployed voice AI at 500+ US locations in 2023 to enhance efficiency, but challenges arose. Taco Bell's Chief Digital Officer acknowledges the technology's mixed performance and plans to reassess AI use, highlighting when human intervention may be better during busy periods. Despite these issues, 2 million orders have been effectively processed through the voice AI system at Taco Bell locations so far.