AI aims to make Burger King staff more friendly – Reddit responds with heavy criticism

Burger King is rolling out the new AI platform in the United States under the name “BK Assistant.” Built on the Patty voice assistant, the system is embedded directly in employees’ headsets. It supports daily operations while also evaluating staff behavior in customer interactions. According to The Verge, Chief Digital Officer Thibault Roux confirmed these details.

The system detects phrases such as “Welcome to Burger King,” “please” and “thank you,” and rates each location based on how often these expressions are used. Managers can view their restaurant’s friendliness score via an internal dashboard, The Verge reports. In the future, the AI may also analyze tone of voice. While the company presents the tool as a coaching solution, critics see it as workplace surveillance.

Beyond voice monitoring, the assistant is intended to help with everyday tasks. It offers guidance on food preparation, provides instructions for cleaning equipment and alerts staff when ingredients run low. If a machine breaks down or a product is unavailable, the issue is logged in the system. Items can then be removed from digital menu boards, kiosks and drive-thru systems within 15 minutes through a cloud-based checkout platform. Burger King says a pilot version of “Patty” is already operating in 500 locations.

The BK Assistant is scheduled for nationwide rollout in the United States by the end of 2026. If the pilot proves successful, Patty could later be introduced in Burger King restaurants worldwide. On Reddit, the project has drawn sharp backlash. Many users call the system dystopian, intrusive and unnecessary. In their view, it is not genuine innovation but another example of AI-driven surveillance in low-wage jobs.