McDonald's (MCD) is adding technology to its restaurants such as Internet-connected kitchen equipment and artificial intelligence tools to improve the experiences of customers and workers, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing an interview with its chief information officer Brian Rice.

The company is using an edge computing setup from Google Cloud, which brings computing power closer to the data source to enable real-time analysis and decision-making. This gives McDonald's insight into when kitchen equipment such as fryers are about to break down, according to the report. Edge computing will also power voice-activated AI at its drive-throughs, the report said.

The company said it rolled out the technology to some US restaurants in 2024 and will add more this year, but declined to give the number or when it would be completed, the Journal said.

The company is also exploring the use of AI for checking the accuracy of food orders and helping managers handle administrative tasks such as shift scheduling, the news outlet said.

McDonald's did not immediately reply to a request for comment from MT Newswires.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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