A Smarter Shopping Experience with AI-Powered Retail Robots

Imagine walking into a store where finding products is effortless, restocking happens seamlessly, and logistics are fully optimized—all thanks to AI-powered robots. With advancements in spatial computing, artificial intelligence, and robotics, this vision is quickly becoming reality.

In the latest update from our robotics team, we are introduced to the use cases that our team is working towards.

An advanced AI-powered restocking robot trolley powered by the Auki network will revolutionize both the customer and employee experience. Shoppers will be able to receive real-time assistance, with the trolley acting as an intelligent shopping guide—helping them navigate aisles, locate products, and even suggest alternatives based on stock availability. Meanwhile, store employees can focus on customer service rather than spending hours manually stocking shelves.

What makes this possible? The Auki network, spatial computing and AI. These technologies allow robots to understand and adapt to their environments dynamically.

The AI-driven trolley will:

• Navigate the store using spatial computing reacting in real-time to the environment.
• Recognize and respond to customer queries and guide them to products.
• Ensure efficient restocking through a modular design, which can transport products in shopping carts.

As technology continues to evolve, the ability of these robots to improve customer experiences and employee workloads will transform retail environments.

The Rise of AI in Logistics and Warehouse Automation

Beyond retail floors, AI-powered robots are transforming warehouse and supply chain management. Traditional warehouses rely on rigid, pre-programmed robots that struggle to navigate dynamic environments. However, the next-generation of logistics robots leverage spatial computing to adapt in real time, improving efficiency across logistics operations.

These robots will be able to:

• Autonomously transport goods and reroute itself based on real-time inventory needs.
• Pick and place materials with precision, reducing errors and optimizing storage.
• Coordinate with other robots in a fully automated warehouse ecosystem.

Industry leaders are already seeing the impact of AI-driven logistics. Amazon, Walmart, and Ocado have been investing heavily in robotics to streamline their supply chains, ensuring faster deliveries and reduced operational costs. As demand for faster order fulfillment grows, autonomous robots will play an even bigger role in logistics innovation. However as robots come to play an increasingly important role in logistics, interoperability and standardization will become distinguishing factors between suppliers.

Shelf-Scanning Robots: The Next Step in Inventory Management

Retailers lose up to a trillion dollars annually due to stock mismanagement and overproduction. Our prototype shelf-scanning robot will solve this problem by continuously analyzing shelf contents, detecting discrepancies, and predicting restocking needs before products run out.

The robot can:

• Track product availability and prevent stock-outs.
• Identify misplaced or mislabeled items to reduce customer confusion.
• Enable predictive restocking through real-time store data leading to better purchasing pattern insights and store traffic data.

These innovations will help retailers manage their stock more efficiently as well as improving sustainability by preventing excess stock and unnecessary production.

What’s Next? The Future of AI-Powered Retail Robotics

Here at Auki we are actively developing robots to meet scenarios above as well as the underlying spatial computing protocol that enables this intelligent automation.

We’re still only scratching the surface of what’s possible. As AI and spatial computing continue to evolve, robotic solutions will not only make retail and logistics operations smarter but also more sustainable, transparent, and efficient.

We look forward to leading this transformation. Watch our video and stay tuned for what’s next!

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About Auki

Auki is making the physical world accessible to AI by building the real world web: away for robots and digital devices like smart glasses and phones to browse, navigate, and search physical locations.

70% of the world economy is still tied to physical locations and labor, so making the physical world accessible to AI represents a 3X increase in the TAM of AI in general. Auki's goal is to become the decentralized nervous system of AI in the physical world, providing collaborative spatial reasoning for the next 100bn devices on Earth and beyond.

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