Japanese supermarket replaces staff with artificial intelligence (video)

In the Japanese capital Tokyo, JR EEast opened mini-supermarket where the payment of the products entirely through artificial intelligence. Cashiers are not there and customers do not have to scan the products they buy.

In the small kiosk, which is located at Akabane Station in Tokyo, there are eighty cameras. These follow the customers and what they take from the shelves. They then only have to pay for their products at the exit to keep their ‘IC card’ for a second.

IC cards are prepaid cards that are widely used in Japan to pay in public transport and at vending machines. , shops and restaurants. To enter the JR East store, you must first scan your IC card at the entrance. And at the exit, in order to prevent theft, the door only opens when you have settled.

The shop at Akabane Station is still only a trial for two months, but if successful, more such shops will be opened in the future.

Of course t, here are the necessary critical questions to ask when it comes to a completely staff-free shop. What about privacy, for example, if dozens of cameras keep track of what you buy? And how will customers experience the ‘service’ if only interaction with a screen is possible?

In Japan, however, customers do not seem to care much about this. Many people want to try out the innovative store and there are even strong rows in front of the entrance. As a result, there is not much time savings for the time being, which you might count on at a fully automated store. However, this will probably change over time, if the ‘new’ is a bit off.

[ source ]