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McDonald's to acquire voice technology startup Apprente

McDonald's Corp. announced Sept. 10 that it agreed to acquire Apprente Inc., a California-based company that specializes in voice-based conversational technology.

Apprente creates voice-based platforms for multilingual, multi-accent and multi-item conversational ordering. The fast-food giant plans to use the neuroscience-based artificial intelligence technology to enhance its drive-thru service and possibly its mobile ordering and kiosks as well.

McDonald's said the acquisition is a result of extensive exploration with several parties at its test restaurants.

The startup will also be the founding member of McD Tech Labs, a new group under McDonald's global technology team. The restaurant chain aims to hire more engineers, data scientists and other advanced technology experts as part of McD Tech Labs in the future.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The transaction builds on the company's technology initiatives aimed at improving employee and customer experience.

In March, the restaurant chain bought decision logic technology company Dynamic Yield Ltd. to "personalize" customer service throughout its network of stores and kiosks. McDonald's also purchased a NZ$5.4 million stake in New Zealand-based Plexure Group Ltd. to further develop the company's mobile app.

As of Sept. 9, US1 was equivalent to NZ$1.55