Is China's opening of a fully robot-operated grocery store a science fiction reality or a gimmick?

Galbot launched a retail store operated by humanoid robots in Beijing and plans to expand to 100 stores in ten cities within a year, triggering discussions about new changes in retail.
(Preliminary summary: How can Web3 marketers avoid being replaced by AI in the next 5 years?)
(Background supplement: Bill Gates: AI will replace humans and work two days a week is not a dream within 10 years, and three professions may survive )

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In mid-September, a "smart store" with no cashier or clerk but a bustling crowd appeared on the tourist route next to the Summer Palace in Beijing. Greeting guests, searching for goods, and checking out are all completed by the 173-centimeter-tall humanoid robot Galbot G-1, which has become the focus of discussion on the development of robots in the market.

Commercial Applications of Autonomous Humanoid Robots

According to Futurism, when Galbot opened the world’s first store of its kind in August, people lined up outside the store who wanted to see the “robot clerk” in person. YouTube videos shared online show that G-1 can smoothly grab goods, scan barcodes, and then deliver the goods to customers to complete the checkout process.

The company’s CEO Wen Airong further elaborated on the goal at the opening of the second store in September:

“In the next twelve months, we will deploy 100 retail locations in ten cities in China so that consumers can meet robot clerks every day.”

This statement officially moved the “proof of concept” into a “large-scale attempt.”

Double thresholds of voice recognition and movement speed

Although the debut of Galbot G-1 is very topical, the technical details are still testing the engineering team. 36Kr analysis pointed out that the retail field is full of background sounds and local accents, and it is not easy for robots to instantly understand customer needs and respond correctly. The amount of calculation is large, and the delay is increased, which can easily lead to interruption of interaction.

The second level is action efficiency. Relevant reports mentioned that the G-1 is currently moving slowly and cannot quickly travel through narrow passages. According to ApaRobot data, G-1 weighs 85 kilograms and uses a complex double-arm structure. The machine load and energy efficiency are at odds with each other. To increase the speed in a short period of time will inevitably drive up the cost. How to make voice interaction natural without sacrificing body stability is the most urgent task for Galbot before its expansion.

The tug of war between capital enthusiasm and business reality

Venture investors are currently highly curious about humanoid robots, but rational voices remind the market to calm down. Industry analysts bluntly state that large-scale adoption will still take several years. When introducing, retailers can’t just look at “one-time purchases”; they must also include follow-up maintenance, software updates, personnel training and insurance as long-term costs.

Compared with "advanced vending machines" whose functions continue to evolve, whether the sense of interaction and brand recognition brought by humanoid robots is enough to support higher investment remains to be verified by data.

The next step in the retail landscape

Galbot used two demonstration stores to demonstrate the feasibility of fully autonomous humanoid robots to the outside world. Facing the three major hurdles of speech recognition, movement speed and cost control, Galbot needs to come up with a more convincing solution before mass production. If efficiency and experience can be taken into account, robot clerks are expected to become the new normal in the retail industry; but if the bottleneck cannot be overcome, the early enthusiasm may fade with the tide. Investors, retailers and consumers are all watching to see whether this technology show will become a daily sight or a short-lived topic that will remain in memory.

From physical verification on the streets of Beijing to grand announcements of expansion plans, Galbot G-1 is standing at the crossroads of technology and business. A year from now will tell whether humanoid robots can truly reshape the retail experience, or whether it's just a brave but, for now, too high-risk journey.