See the robots that are taking on cleaning, inventory checking, and delivery tasks at retailers like BJ's, Lowe's, and 7-Eleven

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Ben TobinMar 21, 2023, 16:53 IST
See the robots that are taking on cleaning, inventory checking, and delivery tasks at retailers like BJ's, Lowe's, and 7-Eleven

7-Eleven has tested robot deliveries.Serve Robotics

  • Lowe's and BJ's Wholesale recently announced they'll be using AI robots in different capacities.
  • Autonomous robots have been increasingly popular in all industries recently, including in retail.
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The future is now for retail, as many stores nationwide are using robots to help with day-to-day tasks.

The future is now for retail, as many stores nationwide are using robots to help with day-to-day tasks.
Honda's robot, ASIMO.Mike Nudelman/Business Insider

BJ's Wholesale Club announced this past week it will deploy robots, named "Tally," to roam its aisles to help track inventory.

BJ's Wholesale Club announced this past week it will deploy robots, named "Tally," to roam its aisles to help track inventory.
BJ's Wholesale Club

The discount warehouse chain plans to use these robots, designed by robotics company Simbe, to check store shelves multiple times per day to ensure products are in-stock and in the appropriate sections.

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Lowe's recently revealed that it's experimenting with using autonomous robots to patrol parking lots to enhance safety.

Lowe's recently revealed that it's experimenting with using autonomous robots to patrol parking lots to enhance safety.
Lowe's is testing Knightscope autonomous security robots.Knightscope

Lowe's began testing 400-pound Knightscope K5 robots in Philadelphia in February and plans to utilize them in Washington state, North Carolina, California, and Washington D.C.

The home-improvement chain is no stranger to robotics. Years earlier, it deployed the "LoweBot."

The home-improvement chain is no stranger to robotics. Years earlier, it deployed the "LoweBot."
Lowe's

Back in 2016, Lowe's deployed the autonomous LoweBot to search for out-of-stock shelves and help stores replenish inventory. "Learnings from these early pilots have fueled further testing to unlock a future in which products are never out of stock," Lowe's Innovation Labs says on its website.

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Lowe's and BJ's are only the latest of a large swathe of retailers to implement these types of technologies.

Lowe's and BJ's are only the latest of a large swathe of retailers to implement these types of technologies.
AP

Walmart, for example, rolled out a robot called "Alphabot" to help with grocery picking and packing in a store in New Hampshire and plans to expand to other stores.

Walmart, for example, rolled out a robot called "Alphabot" to help with grocery picking and packing in a store in New Hampshire and plans to expand to other stores.
Walmart

Automated grocery systems like Alphabot are estimated to pick and pack orders as much as 10 times faster than a human.

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The company also tried aisle-roaming, inventory-scanning robots for about three years, but stopped using them in 2020.

The company also tried aisle-roaming, inventory-scanning robots for about three years, but stopped using them in 2020.
Rick T. Wilking/Getty Images

Walmart stopped using the more than 6-foot tall robots during the height of the coronavirus pandemic after finding that humans could do the same work for a cheaper cost.

The company has also invested in "next generation" fulfillment centers that heavily rely on automation.

The company has also invested in "next generation" fulfillment centers that heavily rely on automation.
A Walmart employee works in a next-generation fulfillment center.Courtesy of Walmart

The new fulfillment centers employ over 4,000 workers, including "brand new tech-focused" employees "like control technicians, quality audit analysts and flow managers."

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Meanwhile, regional grocery store chain Giant introduced "Marty," a googly-eyed robot, to stores in 2019.

Meanwhile, regional grocery store chain Giant introduced "Marty," a googly-eyed robot, to stores in 2019.
David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Marty's primary purpose is to roam around the store autonomously and point out hazards for store staff to clean up.

Apparently even robot workers need to shake things up from time to time. Marty went on an adventure earlier this year, escaping into the parking lot of a Giant store in Pennsylvania.

Apparently even robot workers need to shake things up from time to time. Marty went on an adventure earlier this year, escaping into the parking lot of a Giant store in Pennsylvania.
AP

A shopper spotted the robot roaming through the parking lot and posted a video of the brief excursion on YouTube.

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7-Eleven is testing a 'WALL-E'-looking robot, appropriately titled Snack-E, to deliver Slurpees and other items.

7-Eleven is testing a 'WALL-E'-looking robot, appropriately titled Snack-E, to deliver Slurpees and other items.
7-Eleven is testing robot deliveries in Los Angeles.Serve Robotics

Through Serve Robotics, 7-Eleven has been testing self-driving robots to deliver some of the convenience store chain's most iconic foods and snacks in the Los Angeles area for a few months.

Some robots can do double duty. In 2022, Sam's Club announced it had completed a chain-wide rollout of robotic floor scrubbers with 'inventory scan' towers.

Some robots can do double duty. In 2022, Sam's Club announced it had completed a chain-wide rollout of robotic floor scrubbers with 'inventory scan' towers.
CNW Group/Brain Corp

The warehouse club rolled out the autonomous machines in partnership with Brain Corp, an artificial intelligence company.

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