Pizza Hut will become an AI-powered restaurant company in the not-so-distant future, the Wall Street Journal reports, and so will the other chains—like Taco Bell, KFC and Habit Burger Grill—owned by its parent company, Yum Brands.

In an interview with the WSJ, Joe Park, Yum Brands’ new chief digital and technology officer, said the company’s vision is “that an AI-first mentality works every step of the way. If you think about the major journeys within a restaurant that can be AI-powered, we believe it’s endless.”

Yum Brands reports that about 45%—or around $30 billion—of its overall sales are now digital. That’s roughly double its digital sales in 2019. The company also nearly doubled its spending—to $21 million in 2023 from $11 million in 2022—on a program that helps reallocate resources to “accelerate our digital, technology and innovation capabilities.”

Related: How the leading chains are using AI to sell more pizza

One tool the company has high hopes for: a SuperApp, currently used in more than 8,700 Pizza Hut and KFC stores. Described by Park as “a coach in your pocket,” it lets restaurant managers monitor and manage their operations. Yum Brands plans to give it a boost with generative AI so that managers can get instant answers to key questions—such as the correct oven temperature for menu items—that otherwise would require thumbing through training materials or numerous clicks through more clunky apps.

Additionally, managers could use an AI-powered SuperApp to order ingredients, schedule worker shifts and, with help from an augmented reality tool, even teach employees how to make new products on the menu, according to the WSJ.

Yum Brands is also testing voice AI for drive-thru orders as well as image-recognition AI that could potentially count the number of cars in a drive-thru line and estimate waiting times.

Technology