China’s tech giants race to put AI on delivery riders’ heads

Chinese e-commerce behemoth JD.com has introduced a smart helmet designed for food couriers, incorporating artificial intelligence technology. This development follows comparable initiatives by competitors Alibaba Group Holding and Meituan, as these companies strive to enhance rider safety and bolster delivery efficiency. On Monday, JD.com's food delivery division unveiled the helmet, which features an AI-driven voice assistant paired with a camera capable of "seeing" the rider's surroundings.

The aim is to reduce distractions in adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain, when couriers often struggle to operate smartphones with wet hands or limited visibility. Instead of stopping to interact with screens, riders can utilize voice commands to handle new orders, communicate with customers, and perform other critical tasks while on the go.

The system offers turn-by-turn voice directions based on established routes familiar to seasoned riders, aiding newcomers in navigating unfamiliar areas and averting delays. Additional AI-assisted capabilities encompass automatically interpreting customer delivery instructions, like contactless drop-offs, and aiding with quality assurance inspections upon order collection.

For example, the helmet could automatically flag potential hygiene concerns at a restaurant. Currently, the device will be granted free to JD.com's permanent couriers and will subsequently be progressively distributed to all food delivery staff on the platform, as announced on JD.com's official WeChat account. This launch underscores a broader industry movement, with domestic food delivery platforms adopting AI-powered hardware to bolster worker safety standards and refine routes amidst fierce market competition.

Alibaba and Meituan have likewise released comparable devices. By June 2025, Meituan, headquartered in Beijing, had distributed over 1 million smart helmets equipped with voice communication features, fall-detection sensors, and an automated emergency-response mechanism. Alibaba's food delivery unit - formerly known as Ele.me, now rebranded as Taobao Shangou - launched a smart helmet in late 2022 with similar voice-interaction capabilities.

China harbors more than 10 million food delivery couriers as of early 2025, according to a previous report by state-run news agency Xinhua. With many employees operating under stringent deadlines and in challenging weather, safety has emerged as a growing concern for regulatory bodies.