McDonald's plans to invest billions of dollars to help its franchisees use AI tools and upgrade their kitchens and menus to better compete with rivals.

The fast-food chain said today that it would allocate around $8.5 billion globally for franchisee rent assistance and capital spending through 2036 as part of a new corporate strategy. The company believes that AI-enabled technology will lead to improved restaurant returns. Examples include using chatbots to help answer questions from workers and a test of voice AI ordering.

McDonald's is also testing hand-breaded chicken in the U.S., and has rolled out a new line of crafted sodas and energy drinks infused with Red Bull this year. The company wants to increase its share in the global beverage and chicken markets by 1.5 percentage points by 2030, while maintaining its position as the biggest fast-food burger seller.