AiFi

AiFi, Inc. is a privately-held automated retail technology company with a computer vision and sensor-based shopping platform for self-service autonomous brick and mortar stores. AiFi works with retailers including Ahold Delhaize's Albert Heijn brand (Netherlands), Carrefour (France), and Żabka (Poland).[1][2]

AiFi, Inc.
Type of site
Private
Founded2016
HeadquartersSanta Clara, California
Founder(s)
  • Steve Gu
  • Ying Zheng
CEOSteve Gu
IndustryArtificial Intelligence, Retail Technology
URLhttps://www.aifi.io/

Founded in 2016 by former Apple and Google X researchers Steve Gu and Ying Zheng, AiFi is considered a competitor to Amazon Go in the autonomous shopping space by CNBC, Fortune, and others.[3][4][5]

Product and Technology

The AiFi autonomous store platform for retailers named OASIS (Orchestrated Autonomous Store Infrastructure and Services) is an end-to-end platform that helps brick-and-mortar retailers build and operate autonomous stores.[6] The OASIS platform uses senors, digital cameras and AI-powered software to recognize and record whatever merchandise shoppers take out of the store.[6][7][8]

NanoStores

AiFi debuted its first NanoStore on January 14, 2019 at the National Retail Federation's Big Show and Expo, reported by AP News, Forbes, and Business Insider.[2][9][10] A second NanoStore announced by Forbes opened to the public at Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands on November 30, 2019 to provide convenience items for air travelers.[4][11][12] On December 20, 2020 Fortune announced the first AiFi-powered gas station NanoStore by Loop Neighborhood in Silicon Valley, California at a Shell for grab-and-go groceries.[4]

AiFi's automated NanoStore format is a portable walk-in store the size of a shipping container (160 square feet) with shelves and refrigerators that retailers can customize for their own needs.[7] Shoppers enter a NanoStore by swiping a method of payment such as a payment card or a mobile payment on their smartphones, pick up items they want to purchase, and then exit the store without going through any kind of checkout counter.[9][10] A NanoStores can be placed inside or outside existing big box stores as a 24/7 service mini-store. They can also be placed in high-traffic areas such as public transit hubs.[10]

Locations

AiFi has three publicly-announced live automated store locations as of April 2020, with many more going live this year.[12][4][13] CNBC in November 2019 said a total of eight autonomous stores were being tested by AiFi.[3]

# City Announcement Date Retail Partner Type Ref(s)
1 Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands
November 26, 2019
Albert Heijn
 NanoStore
[12]
2 Campbell, California
January 2, 2020
Loop Neighborhood
 NanoStore
[4]
3 Shanghai, China
January 2, 2020
Local Retail Chain
 Convenience Store
[13]
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References
  1. "Ahold Delhaize Tests Checkout-Free Micro Store". PYMNTS.com. What's New Media and Analytics. September 25, 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. Michael Liedtke and Joseph Pisani (February 18, 2019). "Correction: Grab And Go Shopping story". APNews. The Associated Press. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  3. Jacob Douglas and Christopher Butler (November 12, 2019). "Amazon Go, the cashierless retail store of the future, has some new competition". CNBC. CNBC, LLC. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  4. Vanian, Jonathan (December 20, 2019). "Amazon Go's Cashierless Stores Have a New Rival". Fortune. Fortune Media IP Limited. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  5. "Can These Startups Help Retailers Compete Against Amazon Go?". CBInsights. October 8, 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  6. Wiltz, Chris (October 24, 2019). "AiFi Replaces Cashiers and Checkouts with AI". DesignNews. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  7. Wiggers, Kyle (January 13, 2019). "AiFi markets NanoStore, a tiny white-label cashierless store". VentureBeat. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  8. Wiltz, Chris (April 16, 2020). "Grocery Automation Is Accelerating Thanks to the Coronavirus". DesignNews. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  9. Bird, Jon (January 20, 2019). "Buzzwords And Brilliance: Walking The Floor At Retail's Big Show". Forbes. Forbes Media, LLC. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  10. Keyes, Daniel (January 15, 2019). "The NRF's Big Show focused on how stores can renew their relevance". Business Insider. Insider, Inc. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  11. Bandoim, Lana (November 30, 2019). "Ahold Delhaize Launches New Cashierless Stores With Grab-And-Go Technology". Forbes. Forbes Media LLC. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  12. Redman, Russell (November 26, 2019). "Ahold Delhaize tests new site for autonomous micro store". Supermarket News. Informa, USA, Inc. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  13. Fiona, Briggs (February 1, 2020). "AiFi Autonomous Store Platform powers Silicon Valley Loop NanoStore and first retrofitted, autonomous c-store in Asia". Retail Times. RetailTimes.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
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