#voice assistants

All articles tagged with "voice assistants"

AI ordering at the drive-thru is becoming a test case for everyday automation

From McDonald’s early pilots to chatbot rollouts at Checkers, Rally’s, Wendy’s and Taco Bell, drive-thru ordering is emerging as one of the clearest real-world deployments of conversational AI.

Key Takeaways

McDonald’s began early AI drive-thru tests in Chicago in 2021.
Checkers, Rally’s, Wendy’s and Taco Bell have also deployed or tested chatbot ordering systems.

DT Editorial Team·May 17, 2026·via theverge.com

Google Home Update Targets Gemini Friction With Faster Responses and Better Context

Google Home’s April 2026 update focuses on making Gemini feel less interruptive and more reliable, while also expanding parental controls and improving camera and thermostat features.

Key Takeaways

Google says the latest Home update should make Gemini less interruptive and faster on simple queries.
The release also targets noisy-environment performance, playback accuracy, and more flexible list editing.

DT Editorial Team·Apr 14, 2026·via zdnet.com