McDonald's is using artificial intelligence to improve operations at 43,000 restaurants. Chief Information Officer Brian Rice said the move will help employees cope with daily stresses, including interactions with customers and vendors as well as equipment failures.

The Wall Street Journal pointed out that McDonald's began rolling out edge computing platforms in some of its U.S. restaurants last year and plans to add more edge computing platforms in 2025.

New technology brings many possibilities. For example, computer vision can use fixed cameras in the kitchen to check for accuracy before passing orders to customers. Automated ordering AI, like the one McDonald's tested with IBM last year, could streamline drive-thru orders. Sensors installed on kitchen equipment can collect data in real time and use that data to better predict when a deep fryer or ice cream maker is most likely to malfunction.

In other ways, edge computing can help restaurant managers with administrative tasks. "Generative AI virtual managers" similar to what Taco Bell and Pizza Hut have been testing will make scheduling easier for managers.

McDonald's wouldn't say how many locations in the U.S. it currently uses edge computing capabilities. As Sandeep Unni, a retail analyst at market research firm Gartner, highlighted, the popular burger giant will undoubtedly face difficulties in rolling out the technology in franchised and company-owned stores. Deployment costs are also a concern, Unni added.