To solve the manpower shortage, Japanese FamilyMart convenience stores will introduce “physical AI” robots

In order to alleviate the manpower shortage problem in its stores, FamilyMart, a large Japanese convenience store chain, has determined a policy to officially introduce robots that use "physical AI" technology and can automatically refill drinks in stores across Japan starting from January 2027.

"NHK" reported that FamilyMart and a Tokyo-based startup jointly developed an automatic beverage refill robot that uses physical AI. When the robot determines that there is a shortage of products in the store through the camera footage, it will select products from the stocked shelves and can replenish up to 1,800 bottles of drinks per day. In addition, it can also analyze data such as store sales performance and weather on the day, and prioritize the replenishment of products that are expected to grow in sales. It can also straighten dumped products back to their correct positions.

FamilyMart in Japan has introduced beverage replenishment robots in some stores as early as 2022, and has since continued to make improvements such as increasing replenishment speed. FamilyMart Japan said that by introducing this new robot, it can reduce the time required to refill drinks by 70%, thereby promoting business efficiency amid a shortage of manpower.

Hideo Ebina, Director of FamilyMart Next Generation Operations Planning, said: "The replenishment business not only consumes a lot of time, but also puts a heavy burden on the body, so we hope to reduce it as much as possible. We hope to continue to promote labor saving with the help of robots and AI, and invest the saved time in store display and customer service."