Japan: FamilyMart, LINE to develop next-generation stores

A Japanese convenience store chain is turning to artificial intelligence to reduce its employee workload. The industry is currently struggling with a serious labor shortage.

FamilyMart, free messaging application provider LINE and trading firm Itochu have reached basic agreement on the tie-up. The say their new convenience stores will employ AI technology now being developed by LINE.

They say the system will use sales data to predict customer demand and place the appropriate orders.

They will also try to persuade the approximately 68 million LINE users in Japan to use their smartphones to make payments.

The three firms will study the practical aspects of the tie-up projects and try to open a model store by the end of 2018.

Lawson, another convenience store chain, has been developing an automated checkout system in a tie-up with a major electronics maker.

(NHK)