McDonald’s (MCD, Financials) plans to double its artificial intelligence push by 2027; executives say India will be at the heart of that effort. The fast?food chain has chosen Hyderabad as its largest global office outside the U.S.; the hub will focus on data governance, engineering and platform architecture.
Deshant Kaila, head of Global Business Services operations, said the company is still in the early stages; exact investment figures aren’t set. But the priority is clearAI?driven ordering, sales forecasting, pricing decisions and performance tracking; the company is also working on a personalized app to operate across countries.
McDonald’s is already using AI to verify orders at 400 restaurants; the system spots and corrects mistakes before customers receive their food. The goal is to scale that technology to 40,000 locations worldwide by 2027; according to Durga Prakash, head of technology for global offices, the expansion is key to improving efficiency.
The company’s India focus will lean on technology and tools rather than large headcount growth; however, it plans to build a deep AI talent base. McDonald’s is also exploring a new global office in Poland, joining India and Mexico as core operational centers.
Earlier this year, the state of Telangana announced that McDonald’s would open a global capability center in Hyderabad, employing 2,000 people; India’s global capability centers have evolved from low?cost outsourcing sites to high?skill operations supporting strategy, research and development.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.