Off the top of your head, what are the AI chatbot and digital personal assistant names you can think of? Alexa, Siri, Cortana — those are the ones many of us are most familiar with. And it’s not an accident that all are women’s names. Female names are twice as common as male in chatbot names, and the prevalence is even more pronounced at the highest levels of popularity.
The intriguing implications of this disparity, and what foodservice companies are doing to change the narrative, were one of the topics discussed at this year’s Foodservice Technology Conference (FSTEC). An annual event put on by the publishing and business intelligence company Informa, FSTEC provides restaurant operators and tech suppliers an opportunity to connect and hear about solutions and technology. Foodservice companies are increasingly integrating chatbots into their operations, with many employees and operators embracing the creative task of naming these AI assistants. While the restaurant Bojangles received plaudits for their fun and creative drive-thru voice bot “Bo-Linda,” the conference also sparked important discussions about the ethics of AI naming conventions.
Though naming a chatbot might seem straightforward, industry leaders are highlighting the importance of moving beyond traditional gender stereotypes. Chick-fil-A’s Director of Intelligent Automation Capabilities, Catherine Roberts, emphasized that assigning exclusively female names to chatbots perpetuates disrespect toward women. This concern echoes broader conversations into the tech industry, as highlighted in a 2021 Forbes article “Brilliance knows no gender: Eliminating gender bias in chatbot development,” in which BitCot CEO Raj Sanghvi advocated for gender-neutral virtual assistants to avoid reinforcing bias through new technologies.
Several food service companies are already leading by example. Domino’s chose the gender-neutral name “Dom” for their AI chatbot, while Chick-fil-A has developed procedures to ensure gender-neutral naming practices in their AI implementations.
In essence, as the food service industry embraces AI technology, companies are recognizing that thoughtful naming choices can help promote inclusivity and challenge historical gender biases in technology.
This trend wasn’t the only takeaway from the conference. To read about the 13 big takeaways, such as how convenience stores are becoming a big competitor for fast food chains and the idea that “customization is key,” you can download a free report from Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Business: FSTEC Insider 2024.
