East Japan Railway Co. is planning to introduce unmanned convenience stores operated by artificial intelligence at stations by 2020, to make up for serious labor shortages, which are even affecting the service industry. JR East President Yuji Fukasawa, who assumed the post on April 1, revealed his plan during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun on Wednesday.
JR East Group operates convenience stores including New Days outlets within the region it services. At unmanned stores in the future, AI will use cameras to detect customers and gather other detailed information, such as the types and amounts of goods on its shelves, and automatically calculate the total purchase amount.
Customers will be able to pay with transportation IC cards like the Suica at the stores' exits. "We would like to introduce the system by 2020 or as soon as possible," Fukasawa said.
Moreover, as the retirements of experienced workers make it increasingly difficult to pass on skills to younger workers, Fukasawa also indicated that he plans to use AI for inspection and repair work on railway tracks.
Photo caption
The Yomiuri Shimbun
JR East Railway Co. President Yuji Fukasawa speaks in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.
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