Chinese fruit-vending machines driven by AI

Routine products leaving the shop floor space

AI-run fruit-vending machines are offering Chinese consumers a new way of buying fruit and vegetables, according to FreshPlaza.

The machines, developed two years ago by Beijing Kuo’an Science and Technology, are providing an alternative channel for residents of China’s tier-one and tier-two cities, who traditionally rely on relatively distant large-scale supermarkets and community stores for fruit purchases.

“Every unit of AI fruit vending machines has 24 smaller sections with different types of fruit or vegetables,” said Beijing Kuo’an Science and Technology chairman Guan Luanjun. “Every section has a built-in set of scales. When customers select their fruit, they can use WeChat or AliPay to scan the QR-code on the Chinese fruit-vending machines to open the relevant section. The section automatically slides out to present the customer with its content. The customer can select and take their fruit or vegetables, and then the section automatically calculates the weight that was removed. The customer can then pay for their fruit or vegetables with WeChat or Alipay.”

Read the full article on insideretail.asia