Six Robots Undertake 24-Hour Convenience Store Challenge in Shanghai

On November 2, 2026, Zh Yuan AI WAVE deployed six robots at a Shanghai convenience store for a 24-hour work challenge. By the morning of November 3, four robots successfully completed their shifts and were 'hired,' while two failed. The event tested embodied AI capabilities in unstructured retail environments involving dynamic customer interactions, flexible object manipulation, and continuous multi-step operations. Zh Yuan's vice president noted that while current limitations exist in handling soft objects and complex contacts, the system can recover from errors via agent guidance and iterates policies within days based on data accumulation. The challenge serves as a milestone for validating practical utility beyond industrial sorting or staged demonstrations.