Tencent’s WeChat Pay puts AI sales robot to work in 7-Eleven store

Tencent’s WeChat Pay has deployed an AI-powered retail robot at a 7-Eleven store in its Shenzhen headquarters campus. The robot made its in-store debut at the opening of Guangdong’s 2,000th 7-Eleven location on October 29. Powered by Tencent’s Hunyuan AI models, the robot can greet customers, recommend products and promotional bundles, and help place orders through conversation. Customers then scan a code to complete payment themselves. The system also uses Tencent’s audio technology to recognize speech in a noisy shop environment. WeChat Pay said the robot is intended to handle some routine customer interactions, allowing store employees to spend more time restocking shelves, preparing food, and assisting shoppers. [IT Home, in Chinese]