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

Chinese e-commerce behemoth JD.com has introduced a smart helmet for food couriers, incorporating artificial intelligence technology, as rivals Alibaba Group Holding and Meituan have also implemented similar devices. The helmet, unveiled on Monday by JD.com's food delivery unit, integrates an AI-driven voice assistant with a camera that can "see" its surroundings.

This innovation aims to minimize distractions in adverse weather conditions, allowing couriers using electric bikes to use voice commands for managing orders, communicating with customers, and performing other essential tasks without stopping to use a smartphone, which can be challenging when hands are wet or visibility is limited.

In addition to providing turn-by-turn voice prompts based on established routes, the helmet automatically reads customer delivery instructions, such as contactless drop-off requests, and assists with quality assurance checks during order collection. The device will initially be provided free of charge to JD.com's full-time couriers before being gradually rolled out to all food delivery personnel on the platform.

This move underscores an industry-wide trend of domestic food delivery platforms adopting AI-powered hardware to enhance worker safety and optimize routes amidst fierce competition. By June 2025, Meituan had distributed over 1 million smart helmets featuring voice communication, fall-detection sensors, and an automated emergency-response function.

Alibaba, through its food delivery unit rebranded as Taobao Shangou, had released a smart helmet with similar capabilities in late 2022. China hosts more than 10 million food delivery riders as of early 2025, with many operating under tight deadlines and in challenging weather conditions, raising concerns about safety among regulators.