McDonald’s is getting rid of its fancy AI technology that takes orders at the drive-through. This technology, made by IBM, uses computers to understand what customers want to order. But it hasn’t been working so well. There have been funny videos online of the AI getting orders all wrong, like putting bacon on ice cream or giving people way too many chicken nuggets. McDonald’s is going to take out this technology from the 100 restaurants where they were testing it by the end of July. But they still think AI will be part of their future plans.

People were worried that this AI technology would replace human workers. But it turns out it’s not as easy as it seems. The AI has made a lot of mistakes, and people have been frustrated by getting the wrong orders. In one video, a woman wanted caramel ice cream, but the AI thought she wanted a bunch of butter instead. In another video, someone’s order got mixed up with someone else’s, and they ended up with nine extra teas on their bill.

Even though this trial is ending, people are still worried about AI taking over jobs. IBM says they will keep working with McDonald’s and show them all the cool things AI can do. McDonald’s is going to take some time to think about how they want to use AI for ordering. They want to make a smart decision by the end of the year.

Original news source: Bacon ice cream and nugget overload sees misfiring McDonald’s AI withdrawn (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a slip of paper with a word or phrase related to the article written on it. One person from each team will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while their team tries to guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different words or phrases from the article.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students work in pairs or small groups. Each group will read the article and then create a summary of the main points. Encourage them to use their own words and focus on the most important information. After they have finished, have each group share their summary with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of questions related to the article and have students answer them individually. The questions could include things like “Do you think AI technology should be used in fast food restaurants?” or “Have you ever had a frustrating experience with technology?”. After they have answered the questions, have a class discussion where students share their opinions and reasons for their answers.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Choose 10-15 vocabulary words from the article and write them on the board. Divide the class into teams. One person from each team will come to the board and draw a picture to represent one of the words. The rest of the team must try to guess what word it is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different words from the article.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have a class discussion about the future of AI technology in fast food restaurants. Ask students questions like “Do you think AI technology will eventually replace human workers in fast food restaurants?” and “What are some potential benefits and drawbacks of using AI technology in this industry?”. Encourage students to share their opinions and provide reasons for their predictions.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is McDonald’s getting rid of at their drive-throughs?
2. What technology did McDonald’s use to take orders at the drive-through?
3. Why did McDonald’s decide to remove this technology from their restaurants?
4. What are some examples of mistakes the AI technology made?
5. What were people worried about regarding this AI technology?
6. How did the AI technology frustrate customers?
7. What will McDonald’s and IBM do despite the trial ending?
8. What is McDonald’s planning to do regarding the use of AI for ordering?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

McDonald’s is (1)______ rid of its fancy AI (2)______ that takes (3)______s at the drive-through. This technology, made by IBM, uses computers to understand what customers want to order. But it hasn’t been working so well. There have been funny videos online of the AI getting orders all wrong, like putting bacon on ice (4)______ or giving people way too many chicken nuggets. McDonald’s is going to take out this technology from the 100 (5)______ where they were testing it by the end of July. But they still think AI will be part of their (6)______ plans.

(7)______ were (8)______ that this AI technology would replace human workers. But it turns out it’s not as easy as it seems. The AI has made a lot of (9)______, and people have been (10)______ by getting the wrong orders. In one (11)______, a woman wanted caramel ice cream, but the AI thought she wanted a bunch of butter instead. In another video, someone’s order got (12)______ up with someone else’s, and they ended up with nine extra teas on their bill.

Even though this trial is ending, people are still worried about AI taking over jobs. IBM says they will keep (13)______ with McDonald’s and show them all the cool (14)______ AI can do. McDonald’s is (15)______ to take some time to (16)______ about how they want to use AI for ordering. They want to make a smart decision by the end of the year.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is AI technology and how does it work?
2. How would you feel if a computer made a mistake with your order at a restaurant?
3. Do you think AI technology will eventually replace human workers? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever had an experience where a machine made a mistake? Can you share it?
5. Do you like the idea of using AI technology to take orders at a restaurant? Why or why not?
6. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of using AI technology in restaurants?
7. How do you think AI technology could be improved to better understand customer orders?
8. Have you ever seen a funny video online of technology malfunctioning? Can you describe it?
9. What are some other ways that AI technology could be used in restaurants besides taking orders?
10. How do you think AI technology could benefit customers and improve their dining experience?
11. Do you think it is important for companies to test new technology before implementing it? Why or why not?
12. How would you feel if your job was replaced by AI technology? Why?
13. Do you think it is possible for AI technology to completely replace human workers in the future? Why or why not?
14. What are some potential challenges or risks of relying too heavily on AI technology in restaurants?
15. How do you think McDonald’s can make a smart decision about using AI technology for ordering?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. technology
2. frustrated
3. caramel
4. trial
5. replace
6. mistakes
7. frustrated
8. decision
9. ordering
10. testing
11. future
12. bunch
13. mixed
14. cool
15. smart

Meanings:
(A) A sweet, sticky, brown sauce made from sugar
(B) Impressive or interesting
(C) The time that is yet to come
(D) A choice made after thinking about different options
(E) Intelligent or making good choices
(F) Feeling annoyed or upset because something isn’t working right
(G) Errors or things done wrong
(H) To take the place of something or someone
(I) The act of asking for something to be made or delivered
(J) Combined or confused with something else
(K) Feeling annoyed or upset because something isn’t working right
(L) The use of science and machines to solve problems or do tasks
(M) A test to see if something works well
(N) A large number of things grouped together
(O) Trying something out to see if it works
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What technology was McDonald’s testing at its drive-through?
(a) AI technology made by IBM
(b) Virtual reality technology
(c) Robotics technology
(d) Augmented reality technology

2. Why is McDonald’s getting rid of the AI technology?
(a) It is too expensive
(b) Customers didn’t like it
(c) It caused accidents
(d) It hasn’t been working well

3. What kind of mistakes did the AI technology make?
(a) Giving customers too much food
(b) Mixing up orders
(c) Getting orders wrong
(d) All of the above

4. What were people worried about regarding the AI technology?
(a) It would make the food taste bad
(b) It would replace human workers
(c) It would be too slow
(d) It would be too expensive

5. How did the AI technology misunderstand a customer’s order in one video?
(a) It thought she wanted extra bacon on her ice cream
(b) It thought she wanted a burger instead of ice cream
(c) It thought she wanted a milkshake instead of ice cream
(d) It thought she wanted butter instead of caramel ice cream

6. What happened in another video when someone’s order got mixed up?
(a) They received someone else’s order
(b) They didn’t receive their order at all
(c) They ended up with nine extra teas on their bill
(d) They were given the wrong change

7. What does IBM plan to do with McDonald’s despite the trial ending?
(a) Keep working with them and show them what AI can do
(b) Stop working with them and find a new partner
(c) Develop a better AI technology for McDonald’s
(d) Take legal action against McDonald’s

8. What does McDonald’s plan to do regarding AI for ordering?
(a) Implement it in all of their restaurants immediately
(b) Take some time to think about how to use it
(c) Remove it completely from their future plans
(d) Partner with a different technology company for AI

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. IBM, the company that made the AI technology, will continue working with McDonald’s to showcase the capabilities of AI.
2. The AI has made a lot of mistakes, frustrating customers who received incorrect orders.
3. McDonald’s is implementing its fancy AI technology that takes orders at the drive-through because it has been working well.
4. Despite the successes, McDonald’s still doubts AI will be part of their future plans.
5. McDonald’s will quickly decide how they want to use AI for ordering and plan to make a decision by the end of the year.
6. The AI technology will be removed from the 100 restaurants where it was being tested by the end of July.
7. People were worried that the AI technology would replace human workers, but it turns out it’s not as easy as it seems.
8. There have been serious videos online showing the AI getting orders wrong, like putting bacon on ice cream or giving too few chicken nuggets.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is McDonald’s getting rid of in their drive-through?
2. Why hasn’t the AI technology been working well?
3. What are some funny mistakes the AI has made?
4. What were people worried about regarding the AI technology?
5. What will McDonald’s do next with AI technology?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. McDonald’s is getting rid of its fancy AI technology that takes orders at the drive-through.
2. McDonald’s used AI technology made by IBM to take orders at the drive-through.
3. McDonald’s decided to remove this technology from their restaurants because it hasn’t been working well and has made a lot of mistakes.
4. Some examples of mistakes the AI technology made include putting bacon on ice cream and giving people too many chicken nuggets.
5. People were worried that this AI technology would replace human workers.
6. The AI technology frustrated customers by getting their orders wrong, mixing up orders, and adding extra items to their bills.
7. McDonald’s and IBM will keep working together and show McDonald’s all the cool things AI can do.
8. McDonald’s is planning to take some time to think about how they want to use AI for ordering and make a smart decision by the end of the year.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) getting
(2) technology
(3) order
(4) cream
(5) restaurants
(6) future
(7) People
(8) worried
(9) mistakes
(10) frustrated
(11) video
(12) mixed
(13) working
(14) things
(15) going
(16) think
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. technology
Answer: (L) The use of science and machines to solve problems or do tasks

2. frustrated
Answer: (F) Feeling annoyed or upset because something isn’t working right

3. caramel
Answer: (A) A sweet, sticky, brown sauce made from sugar

4. trial
Answer: (M) A test to see if something works well

5. replace
Answer: (H) To take the place of something or someone

6. mistakes
Answer: (G) Errors or things done wrong

7. frustrated
Answer: (F) Feeling annoyed or upset because something isn’t working right

8. decision
Answer: (D) A choice made after thinking about different options

9. ordering
Answer: (I) The act of asking for something to be made or delivered

10. testing
Answer: (O) Trying something out to see if it works

11. future
Answer: (C) The time that is yet to come

12. bunch
Answer: (N) A large number of things grouped together

13. mixed
Answer: (J) Combined or confused with something else

14. cool
Answer: (B) Impressive or interesting

15. smart
Answer: (E) Intelligent or making good choices
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What technology was McDonald’s testing at its drive-through?
Answer: (a) AI technology made by IBM

2. Why is McDonald’s getting rid of the AI technology?
Answer: (d) It hasn’t been working well

3. What kind of mistakes did the AI technology make?
Answer: (c) Getting orders wrong

4. What were people worried about regarding the AI technology?
Answer: (b) It would replace human workers

5. How did the AI technology misunderstand a customer’s order in one video?
Answer: (d) It thought she wanted butter instead of caramel ice cream

6. What happened in another video when someone’s order got mixed up?
Answer: (c) They ended up with nine extra teas on their bill

7. What does IBM plan to do with McDonald’s despite the trial ending?
Answer: (a) Keep working with them and show them what AI can do

8. What does McDonald’s plan to do regarding AI for ordering?
Answer: (b) Take some time to think about how to use it
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. IBM, the company that made the AI technology, will continue working with McDonald’s to showcase the capabilities of AI. (Answer: True)
2. The AI has made a lot of mistakes, frustrating customers who received incorrect orders. (Answer: True)
3. McDonald’s is implementing its fancy AI technology that takes orders at the drive-through because it has been working well. (Answer: False)
4. Despite the successes, McDonald’s still doubts AI will be part of their future plans. (Answer: False)
5. McDonald’s will quickly decide how they want to use AI for ordering and plan to make a decision by the end of the year. (Answer: False)
6. The AI technology will be removed from the 100 restaurants where it was being tested by the end of July. (Answer: True)
7. People were worried that the AI technology would replace human workers, but it turns out it’s not as easy as it seems. (Answer: True)
8. There have been serious videos online showing the AI getting orders wrong, like putting bacon on ice cream or giving too few chicken nuggets. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧