Taco Bell is reconsidering its voice-AI drive-through rollout after viral clips of the system misfiring rack up millions of views. In one widely shared video, a customer tricks the AI into processing an order for 18,000 water cups. In another, the system repeatedly asks a frustrated driver to add more drinks to his order.

The chain has deployed the technology at more than 500 US locations since 2023, aiming to reduce mistakes and speed up service. But Chief Digital and Technology Officer Dane Mathews tells The Wall Street Journal that the results have been mixed. ‘Sometimes it lets me down, but sometimes it really surprises me,’ he says. Mathews says Taco Bell will now keep humans in the loop, especially during busy hours, and will not necessarily use AI at every drive-through.

Taco Bell says two million orders have been successfully processed using the voice AI since its introduction.