en.Wedoany.com Reported - Beijing-based artificial intelligence and robotics company Galbot recently opened a 24-hour pop-up capsule convenience store in the Hung Hom waterfront area of Hong Kong, fully operated by the humanoid robot Xiao Gai. There are no human employees in the store; all operations are handled by Xiao Gai.

According to the South China Morning Post, the pop-up store is housed in a portable capsule structure. Xiao Gai stands 5 feet 6 inches tall with an arm span of 6 feet. As reported by Inside Retail, the robot is responsible for stocking shelves, retrieving items, and processing customer payments. Galbot stated that Xiao Gai can engage in friendly conversations and communicate in multiple languages, selling everything from snacks to over-the-counter medications.

The Hong Kong Investment Corporation, which funded the project, said this demonstrates how artificial intelligence "enters people's daily lives in a more authentic way."

Galbot expects the novelty of the store to increase foot traffic in the area by 40%. The company plans to launch 100 similar robot-managed capsule stores in ten other cities.

This is not the first time robots have been deployed in workplaces to replace human roles. In May, Japan Airlines announced it would begin testing robot baggage handlers at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world.

However, failures have also occurred. A viral video earlier this year showed a restaurant robot suddenly malfunctioning, throwing utensils all over the floor as employees tried to control it. In another case, an AI agent running a coffee shop in Stockholm spent most of its budget within a single month, making mistakes such as ordering 3,000 pairs of latex gloves.

The use of robots in retail has also raised concerns about transaction security and data privacy. The key question is: Will robots like Xiao Gai become a solution for future retail operations, or merely a risky temporary gimmick? Time will tell, especially as Galbot prepares to launch another 100 capsule stores in the near future.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com