Sodexo has opened Australia’s first remote retail autonomous store in the Pilbara, serving residents at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri Village facility.
The store is open at all hours, and allows shoppers to buy food and other essentials. Artificial intelligence-powered cameras detect the products taken, and charge shoppers automatically without a checkout counter.
“This cutting-edge store marks a major milestone in our mission to bring innovative technology-driven solutions to the energy and resource sector,” said Daniel Zarew, Sodexo Australia’s head of retail services.
“We are proud to offer our residents a phenomenal retail experience that is faster, easier, and more efficient than it’s ever been before.”
The store was produced in partnership with artificial intelligence company AiFi, which offers technology such as AI checkout cameras.
Sodexo plans to add more autonomous stores nationwide.
The French-based company is a major provider of accommodation and food services for fly-in fly-out workers in Australia. It signed a A$2.5 billion 10-year contract to manage Rio Tinto’s accommodation villages in 2016.
Sodexo’s share price (EPA: SW) closed at EU€71.25 on Friday, down from the previous day’s €71.40. Its market capitalisation is €10.45 billion.
