The days of the awkward phone call are behind us. Thanks to the rapid development of actually useful voice AI, we can all outsource talking on the phone — restaurants included. This week, DoorDash announced new voice ordering technology for restaurants, deployable to answer the phone alongside live support agents.
It can take orders, answer common questions, and upsell certain items the same way a digital screen might prompt add-ons. Restaurants can take orders over the phone and dispatch them through DoorDash drive, the company’s white-labeled logistics provider.
DoorDash wasn’t clear on exactly how it’s adding the new tech — building it in-house vs. partnering with an existing tech provider — but did signal its willingness to work with existing providers in the space.
The company said its AI voice tech is in its early stages. So why announce now?
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