How conversational AI, machine learning can jumpstart self checkout kiosks – Kiosk Marketplace

Prudour Research has forecasted the global market for interactive kiosks should grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.1% for the period of 2022-2031. An impressive combined annual growth rate that could grow even more if the newer services predicted here become viral.

Look for newer self-checkouts and conversational AI to help make retail/restaurants even more efficient and productive!

One thing is certain — the nature of infrastructure will change dramatically in the coming years as smart networks roll out with the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence enhances our lives, businesses and industries. As new infrastructure monies are spent in 2024, major changes are predicted with more intelligent infrastructure, from smart cities, smart campuses, smart retail and restaurants to smart everything!

As the Great Resignation continues and inflation continues, look for AI-enabled kiosks to expand its share of the total kiosk marketplace as retail commerce migrates to hybrid and holistic offerings that integrate AI chatbots and natural language processing within newer robotic and mobile kiosks.

Robotic kiosk solutions typically are robotic servers with front-mounted tablets merging historically siloed retail/restaurant server functions, enabling faster and more personalized consumer services.

VoIP, conversational AI enter the mix

Vendors are integrating VoIP to call centers to help when questions arise.

Now add conversational AI, point-of-sale signature verification, item tracking with supply chain/ERP visibility to even safety applications and much more!

What are the new self-checkout services? Well, self checkout has been trialed for years with lackluster success mostly from concerns over merchandise theft. Currently, social governance is needed additionally as some retailers have removed AI and machine learning due to biased facial recognition.

What is needed is transformation of retail corporations in a connected environment of big data, people, processes, services, systems and IoT-enabled industrial assets with the generation, leverage and utilization of actionable data and information as a way and means to realize a secure, unbiased and efficient economy.

Properly deployed, such solutions will quantify and qualify the social and non-financial performance of corporate governance, and will serve as an index for judging corporate efficiencies.

Social benefits

Societal benefits include human resource job satisfaction as cashier roles, merchandise delivery, retail security roles, supply chain tracking roles, etc. are not considered ideal jobs. Governance includes the rights of shareholders and the audit system to monitor and measure the key performance indicators.

Autonomous mobile delivery robots are now appearing with a range of contextual and granular geolocation services that are delivered wirelessly for safe and intelligent operation.

AI and machine learning will become more intertwined with real world user experiences, from robot delivery of items, conversational AI in e-kiosks to pattern recognition of all infrastructure, physical and cyber-physical.

More services coming

Imagine the airport Wi-Fi network applying predictive analytics and not only applying it to its own bandwidth needs, but intelligently deciding which video should be stored in each airplane, which food items can be pre-ordered for which passenger and which flights, and delivered at the gate like duty-free items are currently.

Imagine the e-kiosk at the airport has a humanoid face and it welcomes you by name and has a real conversation with you, but behind the scenes can perform workflow automation with robotic process automation and business process management, all with security and privacy maintained.

Now imagine all this is secure and private but with your permission, you allow for select “coupons” or “rewards” based on your preferences and you get an upgrade or a benefit like free Wi-Fi on the plane for watching an ad.

Imagine new security services augmented with AI/ML within the kiosk or hidden in the ceilings/walls like cameras at a doorway to a campus or airport performing the following:

• Computer vision to auto detect weapons such as gun detection in areas such as schools, banks, stadium, airports, etc.
• Computer vision to detect shoplifting in retail settings.
• Enhanced monitoring of social media data with AI to predict what’s trending.
• Predictive analytics using AI and machine learning for insights based on data collected by the platform.
• Holistic policy and governance with risk management for both AI/ML and cybersecurity will become intertwined requirements, all unified.

Newer service offerings will include supply chain/ERP tracking and item tracking in e-kiosks, minimizing theft and insuring proper order management of items.

Now imagine point-of-sale signature verification.

Finally, imagine all these added services like conversational AI with natural language processing are all added with workflow automation, decision trees and process automation within a low code/no code platform supporting drag-and-drop service enablement and deployment.

The e-kiosk industry coupled with newer technologies like robotics, AI/ML and future conversational AI must create more holistic offerings that can provide a seamless and rewarding experience for both consumers and employees alike.

The product leaders in the e-kiosk industry should embrace AI/ML concepts to enable all these features which should encompass a business-driven approach to identify, vet and automate as many business and IT processes as possible while delighting customers.