That robot voice taking your Taco Bell order isn’t just an experiment — it’s handled 2 million customer orders, showing how artificial intelligence (AI)-powered conversation has become serious business.
The milestone by Yum! Brands, the parent owner of the Mexican-style franchise, points to a dramatic shift in how consumers interact with businesses as major chains roll out AI ordering to boost speed and accuracy. As Taco Bell rolls out voice AI systems in over 300 quick-service locations, analysts anticipate the technology will expand to handle transactions across retail sectors, though human roles will remain essential.
“The key challenge isn’t technological capability — the AI can already handle many tasks effectively,” Nikola Mrkšić, CEO and co-founder of the AI chatbot company PolyAI, told PYMNTS. “Instead, it’s about companies building the right processes and technical infrastructure to support this transition. Many organizations still rely on human judgment for complex scenarios, and the shift requires careful consideration when codifying these decision-making processes into automated systems.”
AI-powered voice technology is making voice ordering more accessible, although the experience for some businesses has been mixed. McDonald’s recently paused its IBM-powered drive-thru AI chatbot test after two years but remains committed to voice-ordering technology. Meanwhile, Domino’s has tested AI-driven phone ordering systems, making it easier for customers to place and customize orders without human interaction.
Voice AI is reshaping retail, with 27% of consumers having used voice prompts for shopping tasks in the past year, with 42% of Generation Z and nearly one-third of high-income shoppers (those with annual incomes of $100,000 or more) engaging with voice assistants for shopping, according to PYMNTS Intelligence’s “Getting to Know You: How AI Is Shaping the Future of Shopping” report.
Yum! Brands said on a recent earnings call that its voice rollout has accelerated faster than initially planned due to enthusiastic adoption by franchise owners. Restaurant staff have embraced the system, which they’ve dubbed their “extra pair of hands.” Yum! Brands said it’s offering the technology to franchisees at rates below what competitors pay for third-party solutions.
AI voice tech will slash costs and streamline customer service, said Maxim Serebryakov, CEO of Sanas, which converts accents in real time.
“However, there will always be a human element to customer service; businesses depend on human agents for efficiency, control or just psychological comfort over customer service,” he added. “In fact, 55% of customers prefer to speak with a human agent over the phone, and there has been news about some countries looking to mandate the right to speak with a human.”
Voice AI is transforming how retail and hospitality businesses operate, according to Language I/O CEO Heather Morgan Shoemaker. She told PYMNTS these industries are ideal for automation since customer interactions follow predictable patterns while requiring highly accurate responses.
Shoemaker said that businesses implementing these AI-human systems have faced two critical challenges: maintaining ironclad data security as customers share sensitive information and developing robust multilingual capabilities to serve an increasingly global customer base.
“In addition, you must be able to support customers in their native language,” she added. “With nearly three-quarters of consumers preferring service in their native language, businesses that fail to provide multilingual voice AI risk alienating significant portions of their global customer base.”
AI voice technology needs both brains and hearts to excel at customer service. Shoeb Javed, CPO at iGrafx, a process intelligence platform, told PYMNTS that for voice AI to be effective in traditional human-centered customer service roles, it needs empathy in addition to intelligence.
“Being able to understand emotions and nuance based on tone of voice rather than just the words used is crucial,” he said. “There are emerging technologies that make this possible, for example, Mirro.ai. There are customer service roles in the financial/brokerage industry that would be hard to replace due to regulatory requirements.”
The business landscape is challenging, but firms are increasingly flush with innovations designed to beat back any operational challenges with cutting-edge tech.
Artificial intelligence, for example, has become a linchpin of modern financial operations, reshaping processes from fraud detection to credit risk assessment. As companies warm toward harnessing AI-powered algorithms, efficiency and precision are being positioned at the forefront of operational improvement.
At the same time, B2B payments are undergoing a parallel transformation.
Legacy systems, which often relied on manual processes and paper-based invoicing, are being replaced by streamlined, digitized platforms. Businesses are turning to integrated payment solutions that enhance efficiency, security and transparency.
What is the reason for the accelerating digital transformation of back-office technology stacks and payment workflows?
A prominent root cause is the ongoing uncertainty afflicting the business environment. This includes escalating trade tensions marked by the imposition of tariffs, which have introduced a wave of hesitation across various sectors, impacting middle-market companies.
As economic uncertainties persist, financial management has become paramount, and, as the B2B news this week shows, few things support agile decision making and real-time forecasting better than the digitization of previously manual workflows.
Read also: AI Agent Systems Are Here — Will They Transform B2B?
One of the trends in B2B is the integration of AI-powered solutions to enhance operational efficiency. The adoption of agentic AI solutions is being explored to empower chief financial officers and treasurers by enabling autonomous financial decision making and operational efficiency.
Payments technology firm Transcard announced Tuesday (April 1) that it added agentic AI capabilities to its vendor network management solution. The changes to the company’s SMART Exchange are designed to streamline payment interactions between buyers and suppliers, with agentic AI automating onboarding and know your business (KYB).
Tesorio added an AI agent for supplier portals to its platform for accounts receivable automation, collections and cash flow management Thursday (March 27). The company’s new Supplier Portals Agent autonomously manages portal-based invoicing, from invoice submission to payment tracking, eliminating the need for finance teams to submit and track invoices across portals, a task that Tesorio said has become “one of the most manual, fragmented and error-prone parts of the AR process.”
AI-driven platforms can offer CFOs and treasurers insights and analytical capabilities, helping them navigate complex finances. The collaboration between agentic AI and financial operations is one potentially poised to unlock growth by empowering executives to make data-driven decisions with greater confidence.
See also: How CFOs Can Solve for Resource Bottlenecks in Back-Office Innovation
Beyond AI, the B2B sector is witnessing innovation in payment systems and risk management. Mastercard, for instance, launched a program Monday (March 31) aimed at encouraging the adoption of virtual cards for commercial payments. The initiative seeks to provide businesses with a more seamless, consumer-like experience, particularly in the realm of digital transactions.
Meanwhile, EasyPost on Tuesday introduced Forge, a B2B shipping solution designed to optimize logistics and reduce costs for enterprise clients. The development highlights the growing demand for specialized solutions that address the unique needs of B2B commerce, where efficiency and cost-effectiveness are paramount.
Risk management remains a concern for businesses operating on a global scale. To address this, Zip, also on Tuesday, rolled out a supplier risk management solution aimed at helping organizations assess and mitigate potential vulnerabilities in their supply chains. As geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions persist, such tools are key for maintaining operational resilience.
See also: What Treasurers Can Learn From How Central Banks Approach Risk
The ongoing evolution of FinTech is also shaping how businesses manage their assets and navigate economic uncertainties. A growing number of treasurers are turning to unconventional assets like bitcoin and gold as part of broader capital allocation strategies. The trend reflects a desire for diversification and a hedge against currency volatility, particularly as inflationary pressures and geopolitical risks continue to loom.
For CFOs, the challenge of maintaining financial visibility in a volatile environment is ever-present. Enhanced financial visibility tools are proving essential in navigating tariff uncertainties and ensuring liquidity management remains robust. These tools empower executives to forecast potential disruptions and respond proactively rather than reactively.
Supply chain transparency is another area receiving heightened attention. Inspectorio’s partnership with Open Supply Hub aims to promote greater transparency through open data platforms. The collaboration is intended to enhance accountability and ensure that sourcing practices adhere to evolving regulatory and ethical standards.
Looking forward, the question is not whether these technologies will continue to gain traction, but rather how quickly and effectively they will be adopted at scale.
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