"For example, if Patty detects that an employee hasn't said key words like 'welcome', 'please' and 'thank you', it can flag it to the boss. While Burger King hopes the headsets will help its restaurants to run more efficiently, they've been widely slated across social media."
"As well as tracking how friendly employees are to customers, the headsets can recite recipes, and alert managers when inventories are low. The system collects data on restaurant operations and shares it via 'Patty,' a voice that talks to employees through their headsets."
"Burger King said the intent is to use Patty as a coaching tool, not a tracker of individual employees. 'It's not about scoring individuals or enforcing scripts,' it said in a statement. 'It's about reinforcing great hospitality and giving managers helpful, real-time insights so they can recognize their teams more effectively.'"
Restaurant Brands International, Burger King's parent company, is piloting OpenAI-powered headsets equipped with an AI assistant named Patty in 500 US locations. The headsets monitor whether employees use courteous language like 'please' and 'thank you,' flag instances to managers, and provide additional functions including recipe recitation and inventory alerts. The system collects operational data and notifies managers of issues such as low supplies or customer complaints about facility cleanliness. Burger King positions Patty as a coaching and hospitality reinforcement tool rather than individual employee surveillance. However, the initiative has faced significant social media backlash, with critics arguing the system represents performative management that ignores workers' challenging conditions including understaffing, low wages, and difficult customer interactions.
#ai-workplace-monitoring #fast-food-industry #employee-surveillance #customer-service-automation #worker-rights-concerns
Read at Mail Online
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