Domino’s Gives Voice AI A Local Accent To Make Orders Feel Human - 1

Image by Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty), from Unsplash

Domino’s Gives Voice AI A Local Accent To Make Orders Feel Human

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Domino’s is changing how its AI sounds by adding accents and natural tone, making it easier and more pleasant for customers to order pizza.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • 80% of North American phone orders use AI voices.
  • Rime Labs built natural-sounding text-to-voice for Domino’s.
  • Earlier robotic voices caused 50% of callers to hang up.

Domino’s is giving its AI a human touch, literally in the way it speaks. The pizza chain operated its voice AI system for phone orders for years, now it went a step further to develop its technology to simulate human-like communication with customers.

“If someone hears a really off-putting, unrelatable voice, they’re going to hang up,” said to Business Insider (BI) Lily Clifford, CEO of Rime Labs, the company behind the AI voice Domino’s uses.

ConverseNow, which supplies the AI assistant to Domino’s, once faced serious pushback. “There was one point where 50% of the people were just saying they just didn’t want to talk to it,” said Akshay Kayastha, ConverseNow’s engineering director, as reported by BI.

Rime’s natural-sounding voices have improved customer retention. According to Clifford after this improvement, nearly all customers remain on the line.

The technology operates for 80% of North American phone orders at Domino’s restaurants. The AI system in certain regions uses local speech patterns to create a more relatable experience for customers, such as using a Southern accent in Atlanta, and African-American Vernacular English.

“It should sound like someone who could work at Domino’s,” Clifford explained, as reported by BI.

The team didn’t just rely on voice actors. The team constructed a recording studio in San Francisco to capture genuine friend-to-friend conversations which they used to develop authentic AI voice samples.

The tech also helps with tone. “No one in real life speaks so cheerfully at a drive-thru,” Kayastha noted, as reported by BI.

Importantly, Clifford says this isn’t about replacing jobs. “If you’re at the restaurant making pizzas and wings, you do not want to answer that phone,” she said to BI.

However, contrary to what Cliggord is implying, for many people working in fast food isn’t a passion, a career, or a calling—it’s a necessity. Answering phones may seem like a small task, but it’s also a job. And quietly, AI is taking it. Whether that’s progress or a problem depends on where you’re standing.

AI Boosts Deep Learning In Chinese High School English Classes - 2

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AI Boosts Deep Learning In Chinese High School English Classes

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A 2025 study finds AI-driven teaching boosts deep learning and critical thinking in Chinese high school English, improving student engagement and creativity.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • AI improves deep learning in Chinese high school English lessons.
  • Students showed better comprehension, creativity, and engagement with AI.
  • Researchers warn against over-reliance and stress ethical AI use in schools.

A new research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) can boost deep learning in high school English reading lessons across China. A study published in Frontiers in Education examines how AI-based teaching approaches drive students to advance past rote memorization and build their critical thinking abilities.

Traditional English teaching in China requires students to memorize vocabulary and grammar rules to achieve exam success. The researchers explain that this teaching method shows limitations in developing both deep understanding, and creative thinking skills.

The research demonstrates that the exam-centered method demands students to memorize fundamental language elements for better test results, but it neglects the development of critical thinking abilities in students.

To tackle this issue, researchers from Beijing Jiaotong University developed an AI-assisted teaching model grounded in deep learning principles.

This model was tested with 11th-grade students in Beijing, where they utilized AI tools such as Chat-GPT, Deepseek, and Doubao AI to analyze texts, create mind maps, and receive immediate feedback on their writing assignments.

The AI-driven approach began with visual learning, where AI-generated images helped students connect with the lesson topic. Consequently, AI-based mind maps assisted students to divide complicated texts into simpler sections during their interactive analysis phase.

Students engaged in group discussions about questions “So you think it’s possible for robots to understand human emotions? Why or why not?” with AI offering additional perspectives.

The researchers reported that automated feedback tools, including Youdao Writing, graded assignments instantly, allowing students to improve more rapidly.

The results demonstrated clear improvements in students’ comprehension, creativity, and engagement. Participation in class rose noticeably, and students showed enhanced problem-solving skills.

Despite these promising findings, the study acknowledges two main constraints which include limited participant numbers and potential risks from AI dependency. The use of AI in classrooms needs additional security measures to address privacy issues and maintain ethical standards.

The researchers suggest conducting larger school trials to develop the model which will maintain human teacher involvement in education since AI should serve as an educational aid.