Convenience store chain Lawson Inc. and telecom giant KDDI Corp. have opened a futuristic concept store that utilizes artificial intelligence to address labor shortages and create a high-tech experience.
The first RealxTech Lawson store opened on June 23 in Tokyo’s Takanawa Gateway City, where KDDI is set to relocate its headquarters in July.
“We will make this next-generation convenience store the national standard,” Lawson President Sadanobu Takemasu said at the opening ceremony.
Branded as a “convenience store of the future,” the outlet integrates advanced features such as AI-powered signs that analyze customer behavior via in-store cameras to offer personalized advertisements.
AI-powered security camera footage is also used to generate operational insights and provide suggestions for improving store management.
An interactive screen at the store offers remote assistance for KDDI’s telecommunications services and provides access to pharmaceutical consultations.
In the store kitchen, a robotic fryer automatically cooks the chain’s signature fried chicken offerings.
The project marks a strategic collaboration between the two companies, following KDDI’s acquisition of a 50 percent stake in Lawson through a takeover bid last year.
“We support Lawson through the power of telecommunications and digital technology,” said KDDI President Hiromichi Matsuda.
AloJapan.com