Both Hardee’s and Wendy’s recently announced plans to implement artificial intelligence at their drive-thrus with Presto Voice, an industry leader for drive-thru automation. Checkers in the Quad-Cities has used the technology for the past eight months, and Brian Kiel, a franchisee of several Quad-Cities Checkers, said it’s simple to use. Kiel said worries that this technology is taking away jobs are unfounded. “Our aim was to help the operations of our restaurant. We were shorthanded, and weren’t getting applicants, and this has really helped us do that,” he said. “We’d be open at 2 in the morning and others can’t stay open past 10 because they don’t have the people.”