https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2026/0608/c94476-20464803.html

In July 2025, Shanghai issued the “Implementation Plan for the Development of Shanghai’s Embodied AI Industry,” designating “Embodied AI + Retail” as a key application model for the technology. The plan calls for promoting the deployment of Embodied AI across various commercial settings—such as shopping malls, supermarkets, exhibition centers, airports, and parks—while enhancing capabilities in multimodal interaction and “human-in-the-loop” (HITL) systems. The goal is to launch a new form of commercial service that offers a high-level, smart customer experience.

A queue had formed in front of the Embodied AI shop located at the Baoshan Riverside Scenic Area in Shanghai. Inside, the robot staff member greeted customers with practiced ease, introduced recommended products, processed payments, and prepared and handed over items such as coffee, soft-serve ice cream, hot snacks, and popcorn. Zhang Man, a local resident, was among the first to try out the shop and buy popcorn with her child when it opened. “This robot can recite classical Chinese poetry and tell jokes; it offers emotional value,” she said.

Small-scale shops staffed by robots have also opened at locations such as Xinzhou Building and Baoshan Xinyebang in Shanghai.