McDonald's is stepping back from artificial intelligence at the drive-thru, ending its partnership with IBM after two years of testing AI voice ordering at over 100 restaurants. Despite some successes, the company plans to remove the systems by the end of next month to explore voice ordering solutions more broadly. While the goal was to speed up service, customers have reported confusion and order errors in videos on TikTok. McDonald's remains optimistic about AI in the future, with plans to evaluate long-term voice ordering solutions by the end of the year. The fast-food giant has a history of investing in AI technology, including acquiring AI firm Apprente and Dynamic Yield to enhance order-taking and personalization. McDonald's is also expanding its presence in Silicon Valley, signaling its commitment to advancing restaurant technology.