HK's first robot-run store draws curious shoppers
Hong Kong's first robot-operated convenience stores drew curious shoppers on Saturday, as locals interacted with a humanoid shopkeeper, chatted with it in multiple languages and watched it dance. Beijing-based embodied-intelligence robotics company Galbot launched three outlets in the city, operated by its G1 robot, a 173-cm-tall humanoid designed for retail tasks. The stores, which run 24 hours…
Hong Kong welcomed its first robot-operated convenience stores on Saturday. Locals interacted with a humanoid shopkeeper named Xiaogai, conversing with it in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. The robot, designed for retail tasks by Beijing-based company Galbot, stands 173 cm tall and operates the three new outlets 24/7. Xiaogai serves snacks and drinks to customers.
Shoppers like Dylan Tyack found the experience both entertaining and unique. Tyack, who has visited the mainland numerous times, praised the concept, calling it a "really unique concept, a good idea for Hong Kong." He even sang along with the robot for his daughter, finding the experience "quite fun."
Despite the positive reception, some residents noted the technology still needs improvement. Yvonne Lau pointed out that Xiaogai's singing function couldn't be used due to copyright issues, and described the robot as "a bit dumb." She acknowledged it was a "good start" but expressed concern about the robot's ability to handle unexpected situations.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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