GS25 to expand AI robot delivery service

South Korean convenience store GS25 said Sunday that it has recently launched a delivery service using an artificial intelligence-based robot at a second location in southern Seoul.

The second AI-powered robot dispatched at its GS Tower branch in Yeoksam-dong in the Gangnam area comes after the company first unveiled the service last year.

Customers can place an order via KakaoTalk to have staff load the items onto the robot, which then brings it to the customer’s doorstep using wireless communication technology.

The move is part of the company’s efforts to extend its robot-based service, as it plans to roll out more delivery robots at office buildings and hospitals this year.

Between May 4 and June 12, the robot at the GS Tower branch delivered a daily average of 22 orders, racking up a total of 880 deliveries.

“Delivery service sales at the branch rose by 50.1 percent compared to the previous month thanks in part to the robot delivery service,” the convenience store chain said.

“We are planning to quickly expand the convenience store robot delivery service to present a brand new shopping experience to customers where they can use robots in their daily lives,” one official said.

The robots can carry up to 15 kilograms of items and deliver orders to three addresses each trip.

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)