AI voice technology company SoundHound recently announced the acquisition of food ordering platform Allset, a move that could potentially revolutionize the dining experience. Allset prides itself as a complete ecosystem for ordering food via cars, TVs, and smart devices, and this merger marks a significant step forward for SoundHound in the realm of intelligent voice-based food ordering.
According to Allset's statement, its founders Stas Mativiyenko and Anna Polischuk, along with key employees, will join SoundHound. More importantly, Allset's partnerships with restaurants will also be transferred to SoundHound, giving these restaurants the opportunity to use SoundHound's AI voice products, potentially ushering in a new era of intelligent food ordering.
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However, behind this acquisition is a rethinking of client-side AI applications within the fast-food industry. Not long ago, fast-food giant McDonald's announced a pause on its AI automated ordering project with IBM. Launched in 2021, the project aimed to automate orders in drive-thru lanes using AI technology. After a series of order errors on social media, McDonald's had to halt this ambitious plan.
Meanwhile, SoundHound is rapidly expanding its business footprint. The company not only provides voice recognition and generative AI models for restaurants but also extends its reach into car systems and smart home devices. Last year, SoundHound collaborated with fast-food chain White Castle to experiment with AI voice processing for orders in drive-thru lanes. Additionally, the company has established partnerships with several renowned car manufacturers such as Stellantis, Hyundai, Kia, and Honda.
SoundHound's ambitions do not stop there. The company has also partnered with AI search platform Perplexity to support its AI assistant, demonstrating its determination to deploy AI technology across multiple fields.
Founded in 2015, Allset initially positioned itself as an alternative to delivery apps. Being acquired by SoundHound will undoubtedly bring it broader development opportunities. However, facing the setbacks encountered by giants like McDonald's in AI applications, whether SoundHound's bold bet will succeed remains to be seen.