Yum China rolls out AI agent, to help, not replace store managers
The assistant, named Q-Smart, was an AI-powered management system that enabled natural language interactions with store managers through wireless earphones and smartwatches, the nation's largest restaurant operator announced at an inaugural AI Day event at its Restaurant Support Center in Shanghai.
Q-Smart was designed to assist frontline managers with daily operations, including labour scheduling, inventory management, and quality and safety inspections, it said. An introductory video showed Q-Smart's abilities, including monitoring product sales data, adjusting preparation plans, notifying managers and reminding staff to confirm orders.
Having completed its initial development and testing phases, Q-Smart was now undergoing pilot testing in select KFC locations with continuous iterative upgrades, Yum China's chief technology officer Leila Zhang said at the event. Zhang emphasised the company's well-established digital infrastructure in restaurants, noting future plans to integrate more wearable devices and deploy Q-Smart in more stores.
'We believe that Q-Smart will not only help Yum China improve its operational efficiency, but can also serve as an example for the digital transformation and smart development of the catering industry,' Zhang said.
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'Regardless of how AI technology evolves, it remains an assistant to humans,' CEO Joey Wat said. 'From the beginning, we've positioned it to empower, not replace, our employees.'
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