GS Retail-LG Electronics to Showcase GS25 Product Delivery Using AI Robots

Kim Sung-ki, Executive Director of GS Retail, and Jung Won-jin, Executive Director of LG Electronics, are posing with a delivery robot. (Photo by GS Retail)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] GS Retail announced on the 29th that it has signed a business partnership agreement with LG Electronics to launch a service that delivers GS25 products ordered by customers through robots.

On the 21st, the two companies held a business partnership agreement ceremony at LG Electronics Magok Science Park, where they agreed to start the first robot delivery test at GS25 Gangseo LG Science Store in August and conduct the second test at GS25 Parnas Tower Store from October. Afterward, they plan to complete the introduction of the actual service within the year through error corrections and other improvements.

GS Retail plans to prioritize applying the robot delivery service to GS25 stores located in high-rise office buildings, enabling busy office workers to order lunch boxes, sandwiches, beverages, and more during lunchtime.

The delivery service process begins with customers ordering GS25 products for delivery through the Kakao Order mobile app. Once the order information is transmitted to the respective GS25 store, the store staff loads the products onto the robot and inputs the building floor number. Then, the robot autonomously moves, takes the elevator, and delivers the products to the customer.

The delivery robot is equipped with cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, ultrasonic sensors, and autonomous driving capabilities. The robot measures 50 cm in width, 50 cm in depth, and 130 cm in height, and features three drawers capable of carrying products weighing up to 15 kg.

The delivery robot also incorporates a security lock system to prevent theft and loss during autonomous delivery operations. A monitor is installed on the head part to enable communication with the orderer during product delivery, allowing the automatic lock drawer to be opened. Additionally, specifications such as an emergency stop device and safety bumpers are applied to prepare for safety accidents.

GS Retail plans to accelerate its cutting-edge digital transformation by introducing this robot delivery service following the introduction of the unmanned GS25 with smart scanners in September 2018, the cashier-less future GS25 in January 2020, and the drone delivery system demonstration in June 2020.

Kim Seong-gi, Executive Director of GS Retail Convenience Store Support Division, said, “Various future-oriented GS25 services aimed at ultra-simple and contactless new normal consumption trends are entering the commercialization stage,” adding, “GS25, a strong offline platform, will showcase diverse unprecedented customer experiences through convergence with various advanced technologies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.