Hong Kong opens its first 24-hour robot-run convenience stores

Galbot, a Chinese embodied-intelligence company, opened three robot-run convenience stores in Hong Kong, marking its first venture beyond mainland China. Each outlet is managed by a 173-centimetre tall humanoid robot known as G1 or Xiaogai, which can converse in Mandarin, Cantonese and English and perform simple actions like dancing and singing. The stores operate 24 hours a day, offering a range of snacks and beverages.

Local shoppers, including Dylan Tyack, described the interaction as fun and a glimpse of future retail, while Yvonne Lau cautioned that the technology still faces issues such as copyright limits on songs and limited problem-solving ability. Galbot already runs about 200 stores in roughly 50 mainland cities, and the Hong Kong sites represent its initial overseas expansion.